A Contract With Love
by witchyvamp
Summary: A totally different take on HGxSS pairing. Hermione Granger moves to America to escape from her past and ends up working for a mysterious wizard. How will things change when she will discover the identity of her boss? Is there a love story ready to brew in the mean time? Warning: Setting a bit inspired from Fifty Shades. Previously used to be called, "An Un'official' Love Story".
1. Letting Go

**Author's Note:**

 **After I got tired of reading the similar love stories of Hermione Granger and Severus Snape, I decided to give them a twist and a different setting. Muggle background along with magical setting will be used. An employee-boss relationship still kind of keeps the student-teacher charm going, as Severus is still in a position of power. Will eventually be HGxSS.**

 **This story is a bit inspired from the Fifty Shades book, but not completely. There won't be any Dom/Sub or BDSM involved here; the relationship will be completely different. If any of this disagrees with you, then you have been warned. I do not own the Fifty Shades characters, we have EL James to thank for them.**

 **Also please don't expect the characters as they were in canon. I will be experimenting with their character evolution as the story progresses.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter characters, we all owe J.K. Rowling for them. Also, I will be taking a few liberties concerning MACUSA and wizarding trends for the purpose of this story.**

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Hermione looked at the packed boxes around her as she sat on the edge of the empty bed in her house. She glanced around her empty room and checked it for anything that she had missed to pack. Reassured that the room was completely empty except for her and her luggage, she levitated her boxes and came out into her similarly empty sitting room.

A sense of finality hit her. She was finally leaving her house; the very house she was born and grown up in. The house had belonged to her parents and after they had moved to Australia, after _she_ had to wipe their memories; Hermione had been living alone here for the last five years. Since there was nothing she could do now to retrieve their memories without risking their sanity, she had decided it was best to let them continue with their lives blissfully. They were her parents and though she loved them dearly and wished to tell them that and she wasn't going to be selfish enough to disrupt their happy lives. Hermione had gone to Australia once, to see them and it had been so satisfying to watch them leading their lives. She hadn't even tried talking to them, however much she had wanted to.

But, now she was going to move on; away from her past, and all the things that constantly reminded her of everything she had had to sacrifice. It wasn't like she hadn't tried.

After the demise of Voldemort, Hermione was the only one among her friends to return to Hogwarts to complete her N.E.W.T.s, while Harry and Ron had gone on for Auror training. Ron and Hermione had continued their romantic relationship rather well despite their distance and the attention they were getting by the wizarding media. They had kept in touch through mails and mirror calls. Everything had went on smoothly until Hermione too had joined the Ministry, after completing her education.

Once she started working at the Ministry herself in the Muggle Relations Department, Hermione came to know soon enough, about all the affairs Ron had been having behind her back, some of them even dating back to when they had just gotten together. She had seen the proof of his disloyalty through her own eyes and had broken off their relationship immediately. Ron had admitted that he had continued the charade of their relationship simply to comply with his mother's wishes. Hermione's friendship with Harry had also taken a bad hit after that; she had expected her best friend to have been honest with her. Harry's excuse that he didn't want to be the reason of their split hadn't done well to convince Hermione at all.

She had then decided to take a break from the wizarding world. After she had completed the first year of her job at the Ministry, she quit and enrolled at the famous muggle university of Oxford. The muggle world was after all her second home. It had been a refreshing relief from the wizarding world that had started to feel suffocating to her. It was good to lose herself back in studies, to be academically challenged by the advance research that the muggle science and technologies offered her. She had made quite an impression on all of her professors there and they had even offered her to come back anytime she needed to. But Hermione knew in her heart that she was a witch and hence belonged with the magical world.

After three years now, Hermione had completed her four year muggle course with an impressive degree in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. She was encouraged and inspired by the leaps of muggle advancements but she also knew there was little effort by the British wizards to involve themselves with the muggle technology. The purebloods specially, were simply too proud.

Hermione had thought very hard, about what she was going to do once she had completed her muggle degree. She wanted to make advancements in the wizarding world as well, but the one year stint at the Ministry was enough for her to know how much importance the Ministry placed in muggle matters. She had then researched about the other wizarding nations and found that America was one of the few places where wizards did work in close association with the muggles, with strict discretion of course. She had decided then to spend at least a year of her life in the States and experience the culture that it had to offer.

Of course, it also had the added bonus of starting all over. She didn't have to worry about living in the wizarding community where she was a well-known face, with people always giving her odd glances in public. Some, because they recognized her for her efforts in the war; while some, because they had read all about her disastrous relationship with Ron Weasley. And there were some who snapped photographs without her permission. However, her decision to move was cemented by the exciting new things a new, advancing wizarding community had to offer.

Sadly, that also meant having to part with her roots, her home. She had been living in the same house for all her life, even after her parents had left. The building was under a heavy notice-me-charm, so that it remained unnoticed by the other muggles. The house and its various memories were the only things she had left of her parents. But now, she had decided that it would be the best for her to take a break from her past altogether. Her parents too would have wanted her to seek out her purpose in life, rather than willow in guilt after them for years.

Hermione took out her one-way flight ticket from her pocket and glanced at it. She still had some time left before she had to depart for the airport. She sighed as she realized that it would be a good idea to say goodbye to somebody, rather than vanishing all of a sudden. _Not that anyone's going to really bother_ , she thought bitterly.

Hermione apparated to the Burrow, before she had time to think about changing her mind. She knew that Ron and Harry would be at the Ministry at this time and it was probably better that way since the last thing she wanted was to argue with them. She knew Harry would do his best to stop her from going away; he had been hoping to get her back into the Ministry again once she finished her muggle degree. He had offered to get her 'any job she wanted'.

She stepped inside the familiar crooked house and looked around, feeling awkward for coming without any notice. She only found the youngest Weasley, lounging on the dining table. The redhair was glad when she saw her, breaking into a wide, somewhat surprised grin and rushed forward to greet her.

"Blimey, Hermione! It's been ages. How are you?" Ginny said, while crushing her into a bear hug. _It's probably a family thing!_

"I'm Fine, Ginny. I finished my graduation last week." Hermione replied, trying to breathe.

"Wow, congratulations! Come sit, will you have some tea? Nobody's else is home." Ginny told her, leading her inside to the dining table.

"I just wanted to talk to you, actually." Hermione said in a serious voice, as she took her seat.

"Oh. What about? You know, you can tell me anything, right?" Ginny said, taking in her cautious tone for the first time.

Hermione didn't know how to tell her estranged friend that she was going to be leaving the country. Ginny was the closest girlfriend she had ever had, but breaking up with Ron and her inconsistent moods with Harry had eventually strained her relationship with Ginny and her family as well. So, she decided to go straight for it.

"Ginny, I have decided to move to America." Hermione said, in the same breath.

"America? Whoa, that's a long way from here! Have you thought it through, though?" Ginny asked, incredulous. _Well, that's n_ _ot surprising since I've never even suggested this to any of them!_ thought Hermione.

"Who am I kidding, you are Hermione Granger. Of course, you did!" Ginny continued in the same line.

Hermione looked at Ginny patiently waiting, as she came to terms with what she had just heard.

"It will actually be a good thing for you; you have been rather cut off from the magical community for the last three years. So, when are you planning to leave?" Ginny pondered, after a minute.

"I'm leaving today, Gin." Hermione told her.

Hermione saw the shock in Ginny's eyes, which slowly turned into despair and pretty soon, the redhead was tearing up.

"I know that you would have a hard time believing it, but I'll miss you 'Mione." Ginny said, trying to control her tears.

Hermione knew that her words were sincere. Ginny had been always a good friend to her, until the tension had started with Ron and Harry. Somehow, being the sister and girlfriend of the people Hermione was trying to avoid, Ginny was inevitably pushed out of her life as well.

"I know, Ginny. I'll miss you too. And when I do, I promise to write." Hermione said.

"I'll write too. After all, you have to be kept updated of the things that go on here. Without you here, who knows what Harry and Ron will wreck upon our world next?" Ginny laughed.

"Well, they have managed pretty well for the last three years." Hermione couldn't help retorting.

"Harry misses you, you know. He will be devastated when he hears this." Ginny said quietly.

"Would you tell him that I'm leaving? I can't have that conversation with him right now." Hermione asked her.

"Of course. He might not let you go if you told him yourself." Ginny replied sadly. _That, I do know!_

"Just tell him it was the only thing that I thought was best for me. I should leave now; I have to get to the airport."

Hermione sighed and got up. As an afterthought, she took out her cellphone and handed it to Ginny.

"It will help you contact me." Looking at the curious look in her friend's eyes, she added, "Harry will know how to use it. Once I get a number there, I'll contact you."

"I'll keep it on me at all times. Take care, 'Mione."

Ginny hugged her one last time before she apparated back to her house. Now back to being alone again, Hermione let her unshed tears fall. It was difficult to say goodbye to her whole life, especially to the people who had been an important part of that life. She knew that Harry wouldn't be pleased that she had left without saying goodbye to him. She had been the one to push him away; it was only because of the repeatedly persistent efforts on his part that they were even talking to each other again.

A glance at her watch told her that she should be leaving for the airport. She pushed away all thoughts of grief out of her mind and began casting warding spells on her house before leaving it for an indefinite time. After she was done, she pulled her luggage out of her house.

When she was sure there was no one on the road to notice her, taking out her wand, she hailed for the Knight Bus. She was glad to hear the familiar horn of the purple bus and was greeted by an enthusiastic Stan Shunpike.

"Well, well Ernie, if it isn't the famous Miss Granger who helped defeat Voldy and got me out of the Azkaban! Where do you need to go, my lady? Stan Shunpike will always be in your service!" the pimple-cheeked conductor bowed his head low and started moving her bags onto the bus.

"Heathrow Airport, please." Hermione answered. _Because, I can't afford the international portkey right now!_

Stan's eyebrows shot up. "Are you be leaving the country, missy?"

"Don't worry, Stan. I've already taken the required permission from the Ministry." Hermione answered.

Taking the permission would have been almost impossible if she didn't know the Minister for Magic personally. Leaving their country for good was a rare thing for wizards, especially if the witch in question was their war-hero. However, Minister Shaklebolt had been kind enough to ease the process for her and even helped with the exchange from Gringotts; the goblins were a nasty piece of work when it came to losing business.

And now that all was done and in place, Hermione sat down in one of the seats of the Knight Bus and the bus sped away. She wondered how fast the news of her departure would spread. Knowing Stan, probably much sooner than she had anticipated. She was happy that she wouldn't be around to see any more editions of Daily Prophets.

The rest of her journey was uneventful, except for the curious glance she received from the security personnel at the airport at the sight of her wand. She had confounded the woman, just for the sake of good measure.

Some eight hours later, Hermione found herself in JFK airport of New York. After checking out through security and exchanging muggle currencies, she found herself in ample time to go to the MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) Headquarters. After putting all her belongings in her small beaded bag, she decided to take the muggle way to get there; the address was well-known even to the muggles. Also having spent the last three years in the muggle world, she was more comfortable living in it.

Hermione stared at the Woolworth Building when she got there. As she entered inside, a detector caught her magical signature and a guard dressed the same as the muggle security guards, guided her through the left most door with an owl marked. She looked around in surprise to find the headquarters hidden in plain view inside the muggle building. It was an excellent testament to the capabilities of the American wizards.

She asked the guard for the directions to the Federal Identity and 'No-Maj' Department, recalling that's what muggles were called in America.

MACUSA's main hall within the Woolworth Building was several hundred feet tall, filled with light and featuring black and gold accents. It contained a large Magical Exposure Threat Level Measurer above the front staircase along with a magical portrait of President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America Samuel G. Quahog.

At the centre of the main room was a monument with four columns featuring Phoenix statues. In the middle was a group of statues commemorating those who died in the Salem Witch Trials. Under the monument were four words — Integritas, Unitas, Virtus, Magia which meant Integrity, Unity, Valour, and Magic. Around the exterior of the hall were desks and columns topped with statues of the original twelve Aurors. It was all quite impressive, even for wizards.

Hermione found that there were house-elves and goblins working here; however, their rude demeanor made it clear that they were paid servants rather than slaves. She decided to get on with the tasks at hand rather than get distracted by the new atmosphere. She had a lot of things to go through before she could tour the building properly.

First, she had to register herself in the Federal Identity Commissioner's office, where her identity proofs were thoroughly checked. A strick looking, uniformed Auror interrogated her on every detail, until he realized that she was one of the "Golden Trio" that had defeated the British Dark Lord. Hermione was surprised to find that she was known here and she asked the Auror about it. However, the Auror assured her that they were known only among Aurors, the general public here was too engrossed in their own affairs to give any importance to international wizarding news. To say that Hermione felt relieved, would be an understatement.

After that she was directed to get a wand permit from the Federal Wand Permit Office. It was a young official wandmaker who examined her wand, with great care. Hermione was pleased to know that the witch was familiar with Ollivander's work, before she proclaimed that she was a huge fan of his. Hermione didn't know what to say to that.

Hermione was then directed to the office of the Keeper of Treasure and Dragots to get some of the wizarding currency where a goblin handled her accounts with its infamous arrogance and yet efficient skills. After that, she had to get a certificate from the Apparition officer too.

Despite being totally exhausted by then, she made her way to the No-Maj Department and was surprised to find that it was one of the prominent departments here, contrary to the British Ministry of Magic. A pleasant looking young man greeted her and asked politely about how he could help her.

Here, Hermione acquired a list of all the apartments which were available on rent to both muggles and wizards, as she found that there were no wizards exclusive colonies here, as were back home. She also got a list of places where both muggles and wizards were employed. She asked the employee for his suggestion on the apartments, which he was happy to provide. Hoping that all the people here were this helpful, Hermione decided to leave the Headquarters to look for a hotel to retire for the night.

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 **Thanks for reading. Do hit 'Favorite' and 'Follow' if you liked it and want to be updated with the next chapters. Also, feel free to write a review and give your opinions and queries.**


	2. The Interview

**Author's Note:**

 **Heartfelt thanks to everyone of you who've read, liked, favorited and followed this story. And special thanks to the reviewers for their encouragement; they really help, especially when they come for the very first chapter. Please know that your opinions are very much appreciated.**

 **Francis-rose, special mention for your very first review! Thanks.**

 **Shaidar17, thank you for taking time to write that review. I simply want to say in my defense that the conversation between Ginny and Hermione may have sounded right on topic because I wanted to show them as estranged friends who were talking after quite a long time, not to mention it was a bit awkward for both of them. Thank you for keeping your faith in me and following the story. I hope I can do justice in the next chapters.**

 **FrancineHibiscus, I'll admit, even I feel sad when Hermione and Harry have to part ways. But that doesn't mean they won't cross paths in the future. Keeping my fingers crossed for now!**

 **Now, just to be clear, the sentences written in Italics are what's going on in Hermione's mind. And we all know who our favourite Legillimens is, in the HP universe.**

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Looking for an apartment in the New York City for an affordable price was a tedious job. At last, after two exhausting days without any positive results, Hermione decided to rent the very first flat she had visited, the one which had initially been recommended by the MACUSA official. In the beginning, she had dismissed the place because it had looked too small, and as she had been accustomed to be living in a big house she had found it too small for her taste. However, after taking a tour of all the places available, she had to conclude that it was probably her best option.

Her landlady was a jolly witch in her sixties, who was happy to give full freedom to all her tenants, wizards and no-majs alike, her only condition being, they paid their rent on time. Thankfully, Hermione's flat was on the magical floor where she didn't have to worry about revealing anything to no-majs. But, she was warned strictly about socializing with the no-maj tenants.

Hermione barely had any problems furnishing her new home. She stuck only for the basic things she would need. There was no reason to decorate the place; she didn't even know how long she would be living in the country if she didn't find an employment soon, preferably before her savings ran out.

Now that she had finalized a place to live, Hermione decided to do the next important thing on her list: to find a job. She had decided to look over the list that she had obtained from the No-Maj Department of MACUSA. Taking an employment in one of these establishments would be a good way for her to experience the co-existence of the magical and non-magical people in a same place; something that she had no chance of experiencing in her own country.

One company's name had caught her attention: Prince Pharmaceuticals. It was the only pharma company on the list and Hermione instantly knew this was where she wanted to go. It would be the perfect place for her, given her areas of expertise and also to make a positive difference in the lives of people; magical and non-magical alike. She wondered what advancements could be made if they combined the muggle technology with magic. There was only one post available, called 'Junior Scientist' which required a N.E.W.T. degree in Potions, preferably at least an 'E' grade. That certainly wasn't going to be a problem; Hermione had a big, fat 'O'.

Hermione went to a nearby internet café and decided to research about the company further. Founded about five years ago by one Mr. S. Prince, it had quickly become one of the foremost pharma companies of the country, with its special focus on the severe and untreatable diseases. Hermione guessed that they used a combination of muggle and wizarding methods to make their products, but her conjectures could only be proven if she got a chance to actually work there. Curiously, there was no picture of the founder to be found anywhere, not even in the muggle tabloids. They just said that he was a very private person and disliked being photographed despite his good looks. Hermione didn't pay much attention to these details though; she had never really been much interested in gossips.

After having decided on the company, Hermione wasted no time in preparing a quick resume and emailing it to the Prince Pharmaceuticals. Now, all she had to do was to wait for their reply. She found their reply when she checked her mails the same evening, giving her an appointment for the next morning to interview at their offices.

The next morning found Hermione ready in her formal muggle attire; a crisp white shirt and tailored pants, which she thought were suitable for the interview with the establishment being muggle as well. She was excited to finally start a new chapter of her life, and for the first time in a long time she felt her spirits rise. If only the interview goes well and she gets the job, she found herself wishing in the mirror. _Today will be different, today will be good. I can feel it!_

About half an hour later, Hermione reached the specific address, and was looking up at another skyscraper covered with glass and steel. Must be more than twenty floors, she mused as she walked inside. There were a number of security personnel inside the building, all dressed in impeccable uniforms and tough glares. Hermione could spot a wand hidden inside one of their sleeves, so she concluded that the security also consisted of Aurors. The receptionist regarded her with special interest when she informed her that she was there for the junior scientist's interview.

"You are to take the elevator straight to the top, Miss Granger. All the 'scientists' are interviewed there. And good luck."

Hermione thanked the woman and made her way up the elevator to the twenty-seventh floor. She briefly wondered at the receptionist's strange behavior. _Was she a no-maj? Probably._

After checking her reflection in the elevator glass for good measure, Hermione stepped out of the elevator with only her rising heartbeat betraying her nervousness. She was greeted with another reception area, where two immaculate brunettes dressed in similar uniforms, sat at a large desk. Hermione went up to them and told them about the interview. One of them told her to sit in the waiting area, while one dialed a phone to confirm her appointment, probably from the interviewer.

There was a huge conference room near the waiting area; other than that Hermione couldn't see another room from her vantage point. After sitting for the next ten minutes in the very comfortable sofa, Hermione was approached by one of the two receptionists. She noticed that the woman had a badge which identified her as 'Nancy'.

"Miss Granger, if you would please come with me; Mr. Prince will interview you now."

Hermione was surprised to hear that the owner himself would be the one interviewing her. The surprise must have shown on her face, because Nancy went on to elaborate further.

"All the 'Scientists' are interviewed personally by Mr. Prince. There are many no-majs working in this enterprise, and it's a bit of a risk avoiding detection at times; especially with the strict rules here at MACUSA."

Hermione nodded at the woman in understanding, who led her farther down the corridor and came across a large wooden door. So, they used 'scientist' to refer to the wizards among the muggles; it was quite a brilliant way to explain their work to the no-majs. Hermione guessed it was another conference room, and entered it. But she was wrong, it was an office.

Nancy had quietly shut the door behind her, and Hermione looked around nervously. It was a big room, the walls were painted in pale pastel color except for one which was made completely of glass. The room was too big to be an office of a single person. But, there was only one man in the room, standing in front of the glass wall, looking over at the New York skyline, facing away from her. He was dressed in an expensive black tailored suit and had jet black hair which was cut short enough to give him a very professional look. Hermione waited for him to turn, but he didn't.

"Miss Granger, please take a seat." Mr. Prince said in a polite, deep voice which seemed to remind Hermione something of a forgotten dream. _Do I know him from somewhere?_

She sat down in one of the chairs, opposite his large wooden desk. She looked for anything there which would give her a personal insight into the man, but there was nothing there except a single file.

Mr. Prince had remained standing at the wall, but the file opened and a page flew out to him which he caught just in time. _Impressive_ , Hermione thought. She hadn't seen him use a wand or even hear him cast any spell. He must be a powerful wizard himself.

"Quite an impressive resume you've got here, Miss Granger. A woman of many talents indeed! We could use many of your talents, however you have applied for the post of Scientist in the R&D Department, I think you'll fit right in. After completing your education at Hogwarts, the best school in Britain, you attended the no-maj Oxford University…?"

 _Was it a question? At least, he hadn't asked about the one-year gap at Hogwarts; that would've been much harder to explain without talking about my role in the wizarding war._

"Yes sir. I wanted to study the advancements made in the muggle world. No-majs, I mean." Hermione quickly corrected herself.

"Still adjusting to the new customs here, I see. Tell me Miss Granger, why _did_ you decide to leave your country and came here to find work, so far from home?" The page had flown back to the desk quietly, like it had never even moved.

 _Because there was nothing left for me there, except for being labeled as Harry Potter's estranged friend and Ron Weasley's pathetic ex!_

"I wanted to experience the different cultures and the opportunities this new country could offer me." She answered aloud. _And also that._

"I see."

There was a moment of silence before he spoke next. Hermione was dreading if he was going to deny her the job.

"We, at Prince Pharmaceuticals work in close quarters with the no-majs… or muggles. Even though I was successful in acquiring the permission from the MACUSA President to allow us this freedom, the no-majs are under no circumstances to find out about our existence. That is why we have designated the witches and wizards as scientists who are to never talk about their work with the no-maj employees. Now, since you are new here, I understand that you might not know about the Rappaport's Law. It forbids… any relationship of our kind with the no-majs."

 _Huh, as if a relationship worked out so well for me! I'm never going to be in a relationship with anyone ever again. Why does his voice sound so familiar to me?_ _What's the big screen for? TV? This office is way too clean; does he have OCD? Why doesn't he turn around? Wait, where does that door lead to? A private room?_

"If you are satisfied with the terms of services mentioned in the file in front of you, I would be a fool to not let you work for me, especially with your credentials."

 _Or maybe a lab…_

There was complete silence in the room.

"Miss Granger?"

"Um, yes. Mr. Prince." Hermione was embarrassed that all her attention was on the door which she had spotted in this strange office of this mysterious man. She wasn't usually distracted like this, there was just something here that was making her feel like she was missing something.

"I asked you to look over the terms of service in the file kept on the desk in front of you and give me your answer. I do hope you aren't _usually_ so preoccupied; even a slight error in your judgement could cost you your job in the future or worse one of your limbs." Mr. Prince said in a reproaching tone, still looking at the glass wall.

 _Way to go, Granger! Now, you have made a fool of yourself even before starting work. Now what about this file?_

She picked up the file from the desk. _Work specifications for a Scientist; the job is to discover the new ways a Potion ingredient interacts with the no-maj elements and study the combinations; make formulas to counter jinxes and curses. Confidentiality clause; seems fair enough. Privacy clause; wait, what's this about not prying into your employer's personal business? Who even puts this in a contract? Apparently, he's very paranoid about his privacy; is he gay or something? But I thought it was common around here. His back looks muscular though; and he does have a very good tailor. He's tall, too._

"Is everything to your satisfaction, Miss Granger?"

 _The salary certainly is. And I could certainly resist from keeping my nose out of his business._

"Yes, Mr. Prince. I really look forward to working with you." Hermione answered, signing the contract.

"I don't think you'd be working with _me_ , Miss Granger. In fact, you probably won't even be seeing me much; I prefer to work alone…"

 _Who exactly does he remind me of? Oh, he's still talking._

"… one of my secretaries will explain more about your work and the company rules and will show your workspace and your colleagues. If you have anything work-related to share directly with me, please correspond via e-mail."

 _So, that's it then. I got through the interview. I really shouldn't have worried about my appearance; there wasn't any need to make an impression anyway. He hasn't even looked in my direction once. What an odd interview!_

"I do have great expectations from you, Miss Granger." Mr. Prince added, still turned away from her.

 _Was there a hint of smile in his voice? No way, I must've been imagining it._

"I certainly hope to exceed them, Mr. Prince."

Hermione said, before getting up and leaving the clinical office and its occupant.

* * *

Severus Prince, which is what he called himself these days, sighed as he heard the door close behind Hermione Granger. For years, five to be exact; he had tried to leave his past behind and build a new life for himself. And now all his past had come crashing back to him in the form of one Hermione Granger. He had been shocked to see her name in the application for a job and he remained unconvinced that it was really her until today, when he had finally met her in person. But the important question was; why was she here in front of him, of all places? There was no reason why she could be spying on him and he didn't even find something suspicious in her mind. _But why was she here?_

She had answered that question, in her mind. Because there was nothing left for her there; were her exact thoughts. Wasn't it the same reason he had himself left Britain and let everyone think that he had died for good? But to think that Hermione Granger, the most brilliant student that Hogwarts had seen in years, the valiant witch who had played one of the key roles in the war, was forced to leave the very world she had fought with her life to save, turned his head into turmoil. He simply couldn't comprehend the reason.

However, Severus wasn't ready to face his past again, not yet. And so, he had decided not to reveal his identity to Hermione Granger. Not until, she had proven herself trustworthy of his secret. He had given her a job because it was the smart thing to do; he was a businessman now above anything else and Hermione Granger was nothing less than a smart investment. But, he would have to keep an eye on her. A very close eye, indeed!

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	3. New Liaisons

**Author's Note** **:**

 **Hey guys. thank you so very much for your kind reviews. Please continue to write them; they totally make my day!**

 **FrancineHibiscus, MACUSA is rather strict with the no-majs involvement with the wizarding community as we saw in Fantastic Beasts; and I didn't want to change that. But then, you never know what can happen in the future chapters!**

 **Chelsea always, I didn't want Hermione knowing so soon. It will be great writing the part when she'll find out though.**

* * *

Karen, the other secretary, had been very polite with Hermione while she explained to her in detail, the working hours and the discipline codes of the company. She had then led her down to the seventh floor where Hermione would be working from now on. Apparently, the topmost floor was off-limits to all the employees, except for the executive heads of the departments. She had also noticed a special elevator at the top floor which Karen had told her was a private elevator, used only by Mr. Prince. "Don't even try getting in, it is heavily warded." She had warned.

Hermione was then surprised to see the magnificent laboratory on her floor, where she was supposed to work. Five scientists, soon to be her colleagues, were already working inside and Hermione was already excited to join them. She did feel a little hesitant about her formal attire, when she saw that every one of her colleagues were wearing casual clothes, under their white laboratory coat. As a matter of fact, these people could easily pass for no-majs; perhaps this was normal for the American wizarding community. She had a lot to learn and adjust to, it seemed.

"This is Ms. Harris, your manager. You are to report to her, Miss Granger." Karen said, pointing to the lady who had come to receive them. The woman looked a bit older, probably in her early thirties. She was wearing formal clothes, though her pencil skirt was a bit too tight for Hermione's approval. Her face would've passed for pretty, except for the heavy makeup and the stern look she was wearing.

"Hello, Ms. Harris. Nice to meet you." Hermione extended her hand to her manager.

The lady in question, simply stared at her outstretched hand, but did not take it.

"Enough of the introductions. I can take care of her from now, Karen. You can go and look after Mr. Prince's business. He does value the importance of time."

Hermione flinched at the coldness in her new manager's voice, which seemed to be directed at her. She tried to keep up with the woman's fast steps who was leading her to her workbench.

"Here's your workspace and all the instructions are already in the file on your table. You can keep your things in the locker at the bottom of the table. I suggest you spend today familiarizing yourself with the instructions. I don't want to have to drag you to the medical floor on the very first day. If you don't perform well here, you'll be out before you receive your first salary." was all Ms. Harris said, before turning away and leaving for her office at the back of the lab.

 _This woman certainly isn't very pleasant. Or is it just because she doesn't like me for some reason?_

"It's not just you, she's always like this. Although, I have to admit, she _was_ a bit extra rude to you. I'm Elizabeth Goldstein-Martinez, but you can call me Lizzy." A voice spoke from her side, startling Hermione.

"Wha… How?"

"How did I know what you were thinking? Well, I'm a natural Legillimens. Runs in the family. Can't really help it." The girl shrugged and offered her a hand. She was about her age, had copper colored hair and a pleasant face which was sporting an equally pleasant smile which went to her blue eyes. She was wearing distressed jeans and a white T-shirt that said, "Yes… I Heard that!" Hermione instantly liked her, for her sense of humor.

Hermione shook her hand and replied, "I'm Hermione Granger."

"About time I had a neighbor. I should probably get back to my work before Ms. Harris comes this way. We can talk later in the lunch break and I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."

Hermione went through the instructions which mostly contained precautionary measures to avoid accidents during potion testing. There were also detailed ideas on what magical ingredients she had to test with which muggle concoctions. She wondered who prepared their work manual, and decided it was probably the manager. She did want to start her work but as she didn't want to cross her manager the very first day, so she sat in silence and re-read her file until the lunch break.

As Lizzy, her 'neighbor' had promised her; she introduced Hermione to her fellow scientists, who were all around the same age as hers. They all had their ID cards pinned to their clothes which gave their names quite clearly as well as their departments. They were all gathered around the same table in the cafeteria.

"This is Andrew O'Brian, we call him Drew sometimes when we feel too lazy to take his full name." Lizzy pointed to a fairly good-looking wizard with warm green eyes, who was watching her with interest. He too was dressed in common muggle clothes which consisted of a t-shirt and jeans. He had unruly black hair, and he somehow reminded her of Harry.

"And this is Tyler Davis. Ty, for short." Lizzy motioned to an African-American wizard with a kind face, who gave her a friendly smile.

"Don't be so eager, Dylan. I was going to introduce you next." Lizzy spoke to the wizard with a handsome face and ocean-blue eyes, who was rather put out by Lizzy's comment on his mental thoughts.

"And this is Jessica Hall. Yes yes, the prettiest witch of the company." Lizzy pointed to the good-looking blonde witch, clad in designer dress which was in contrast to the rest of them who were in casual jeans and t-shirts. Jessica was giving Lizzy a glare at her introduction, but once she caught Hermione's gaze on her, she gave her a flashy smile and Hermione immediately recognized it as a fake one.

"And you guys, this is Hermione Granger, our new colleague." Lizzy gave Hermione a radiant smile as she introduced her.

"Hermione is a nice name, perfect for the rare beauty such as yourself." Dylan said at the first chance he had to speak.

"Hermione can be a bit mouthful at times. But, you are free to call me Granger." Hermione replied with a smile.

Jessica rolled her eyes at their conversation, while Andrew commented, "You are losing your touch these days, Dude."

Hermione laughed easily with the rest of the team, and thought she was lucky to have some pleasant people working with her, despite the nasty manager they had.

"Oh yes, Miss Harris is rather nasty. And she was definitely ruder to you today than usual." Lizzy said, reading her mind.

"It's definitely going to take a while. To adjust to you answering to the questions in my mind." Hermione said looking back at her.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough. You are her neighbor after all." Andrew said good naturedly, while Jessica just snorted.

"Hey, Liz, did you find anything in Miss Harris's thoughts as to why she was extra pissed today?" Tyler said in a deep thoughtful voice.

"Oh well, now I do remember something. She was a bit put out because you're… well, British." Lizzy said in a humbled voice, looking somewhat guiltily at Hermione.

"Oh, that explains it." Jessica piped.

"Hey, I don't understand." Hermione complained, quite confused by their talk.

"Well, Miss Harris has always had a thing for Mr. Prince." Dylan explained. But Hermione was still confused.

"A thing? More like a gigantic crush!" Tyler snorted.

"You too being from the same country as he is; might've put her on edge." Lizzy said, ignoring Tyler's comment.

 _So, Mr. Prince is also British. That's why his accent was so familiar. But why haven't I heard of the wizard? Maybe he wasn't so well known in Britain._

"Yeah, your accent really kind of gives it out." Lizzy said.

"And that doesn't mean it doesn't sound cute." Dylan was at it again.

"Well, Mr. Prince is actually a very good looking man. No wonder every other woman is fawning over him." Jessica commented. And Hermione could guess Jessica herself was one of the women she was talking about.

"I never actually saw his face." Hermione admitted.

"You gave him an interview, didn't you? He always interviews the wizards and witches himself. As if we are somehow worse than those no-majs." Tyler shrugged.

Hermione had an urge to defend the no-majs; her parents were muggles too. But she didn't want to get into an argument the very first day. She instead chose to answer his first question.

"I had the interview alright. But his face was turned away the whole time." She explained.

"Ooh, that's too bad! You missed out on a lot there. That was probably the only time we have had the chance to see him personally." Jessica said, and Hermione wondered if she was happy that Hermione missed it.

"He is very private. Doesn't really hang out in public. Anyway, how did you like it here?" Andrew said, changing the topic of conversation.

The conversation turned to education when they had ordered their food and the rest of her colleagues were intrigued when they learnt about Hermione's muggle education.

"I thought the British wizards are rather uptight with keeping their distance from the no-majs." Tyler enquired.

"They are. I just decided to study muggle technology anyway. I am a muggle-born so I basically lived in the same world as them." Hermione spoke before she could stop herself.

"Don't worry, Hermione. We don't have any foolish pure-blood fanatics here in America. You don't have to worry about that here, just keep your distance from the no-majs. MACUSA is rather strict about that." Lizzy explained.

"Is their lunch time different from us or do they have a different cafeteria?" Hermione asked, looking around at the seemingly empty cafeteria. Surely, there were more employees here than this.

"You are quite a good observer, Hermione. Yes, every department has their own cafeteria." Andrew informed her.

They talked about their school, Ilvermorny School of Wizardry and Witchcraft and Hermione was soon absorbed in their stories. They talked of their houses rather proudly and shared stories from their school life which they had spent together. These people never had to worry about all the things and attacks Hermione had during her school time, but they did have embarrassing stories about each other that made her laugh.

She learnt that Lizzy was in Puckwidgie house, Jessica and Dylan in Wampus, Tyler in Horned Serpent while Andrew was in thunderbird. She had read about those creatures in her very first year in the book 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' and now she was hearing them speak of them as their houses; all of them talked passionately about their houses. Thankfully, they never got time to ask her about her own school days as their break was over soon.

After the lunch hour was over, Hermione and Lizzy walked back to their side and continued their work. Hermione decided to break in her cauldron and started testing the things on her list. Things went on smoothly for her, without any medical emergency that her manager had predicted, and soon it was time for them to leave.

It was only when Hermione was waiting for her cab outside the gates of her company building, that she overheard some curious conversation. She had politely declined the offers of her colleagues to drop her home and was going to take a muggle cab to her apartment as Apparition was not allowed inside the company premises. Karen had explained how suspicious it would look if the no-majs noticed that the entire department were never seen entering or leaving the building.

Hermione hadn't been given her official ID yet but the men who were engaged in conversation beside her, were wearing official IDs of the company.

"It really is turning out to be a good business afterall, Ted." One man said to the other.

"Yeah, I was a bit skeptical at first but now I know there was nothing to worry about in the first place. Our always unavailable Mr. Prince is never going to find out about this, anyway." The other man was saying, clearly pleased with himself.

The name of her boss caught Hermione's interest and she whisked closer to the men to hear them properly. They didn't pay her much attention except for a casual glance, probably because they thought she didn't belong to their company. There was no way they could've seen her here before, anyway.

"Who's gonna tell him, man? The manager is in on it too." The man said, making his partner break into a wicked laugh.

Hermione could see from their IDs that they belonged to the "Manufacturing" Department. However, she didn't get the chance to hear anything else as her cab came to collect her at that point.

Hermione wondered what to make of this conversation. She couldn't just run off to her brand new boss, not to mention who was infamous for his privacy policies, simply based on some overheard things. So, she decided to keep them out of her mind, and concentrate only on her own work. She didn't want to take unnecessary and hasty risks in this new life that she had only just started building. Things were already turning out better than she had expected, and she was leaving here with the job that she had wanted.

That night, alone at her flat, Hermione had a strong urge to talk to someone. She thought about calling Ginny; it had been more than a week since she had left her country. In the end, since it was late she decided to wait for tomorrow when she would get her company phone and laptop which Ms Harris had informed her she would be getting, along with her company ID.

At last, Hermione succeeded in putting the day's events out of her mind and she drifted off into an uneasy sleep, only to be haunted in her dreams by a mysterious, faceless man in a black suit. However, she didn't remember anything about her dreams the next morning when she awoke.

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	4. Cause For Celebration

**Author's Note** **:**

 **Thank you to the new readers who have joined me on this story. Thank you for all your encouragements, I hope you'll continue sharing your experiences through the reviews.**

 **Shaidar17, I will begin by thanking you for bringing that mistake to my attention. I admit I hadn't noticed it until you pointed that out. I'll be correcting them soon. It really doesn't matter to me how many stories you have published, you do give fairly great assessments. And I appreciate your effort. I wish you would continue writing about your views nonetheless and I'll be looking forward to reading them. Thank you once again. :)**

 **Chelsea always, Lizzy's middle name was a nod to Queenie Goldstein, who I really loved in the Fantastic Beasts movie. And about that information, you'll just have to wait and see.**

* * *

The very next day, Hermione received her official company ID complete with her photo, and also a company mobile phone and a laptop as she had been promised. She worked her way through the day and mingled easily among her co-workers. At the end of the day, she felt oddly satisfied to have spent a completely normal day at work.

That night, she decided to finally call Ginny.

However, a very sleepy Harry answered her phone.

"Hellooo, this is Hermione Granger's phone. But, she isn't available to talk to you at the moment. And no, I don't have her current contact number." He blurted everything out in a sleepy voice.

Hermione sighed as tears started to flood her eyes; she was hearing her best friend's voice after a long time. From his words, he was already exasperated by answering the calls from her muggle friends at Oxford.

"Harry? It's me." Hermione answered, before he could put down the phone.

"Hermione?"

Hermione could imagine Harry jerking awake to his senses when he heard her voice. Shit, she had totally forgotten about the time difference. He must've been sleeping.

"Sorry to wake you up, Harry. I forgot that we are now in different time zones."

"That's alright. Blimey, it feels good to hear your voice, 'Mione. Been a while."

"Yeah. Sorry, about not saying goodbye."

"I should be the one apologizing 'Mione. Not you. If I'd been a decent enough friend, probably you wouldn't have even left the country." He sounded upset.

"I had to leave because I needed a new experience, Harry. And a change. I hope you understand." Hermione pleaded.

"I still think that I am to blame for a part of all your sufferings. But yeah, you know I'll support every one of your decisions."

Hermione couldn't help noticing the guilt laced in Harry's voice and his words reminded her of their once strong friendship.

"I've missed you, Harry." She said, after a moment of silence.

"I've missed you too. But it's probably too late to say this, I think." Harry gave an uneasy laugh, which Hermione reciprocated.

"Are you alright there? You know that you can come back here anytime you want to, right?" He continued.

"Yes, everything's been great so far. I've got a house on rent and also a job in a Pharma company. It's only been two days there. In fact, I am calling from the company phone."

"Pharma? The ones who make muggle medicines? Are you working in a muggle company?" He sounded confused.

"Yes, that's the one, Harry. And no. Actually both wizards and muggles work here side by side, maintaining their secrecy just the same."

"Oh, that's difficult to imagine."

"Yes, that's why I had to come here. To experience the different culture."

"You do sound happy when you talk about your work. It's enough for me, you know."

There was a grumpy sound in the background.

"Oh, Ginny's awake. She wants to talk." There was a momentary pause.

"Hey 'Mione." came Ginny's sleepy voice.

"Hey, Ginny. I'm good but maybe you should sleep now. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay, good night, 'Mione."

Harry's voice came next.

"Wow, she's already gone back to sleep. I wonder if it runs in the family."

Hermione laughed at that.

"Hey Harry, sorry about all the calls you had to answer. I didn't get a chance to speak to my Oxford friends about changing my number."

"That's alright. I see that you were quite popular there." He sounded surprised.

"Oh, you know. I did have a habit of helping people with their assignments when they came to me for help." She commented in a sarcastic tone.

"Really, I wonder where you picked that habit from."

Hermione gave a chuckle at that.

"It was nice talking to you, Harry. But please go back to sleep, I still remember that Aurors have pretty rough working hours."

"Of course you do. It was nice to talk to you too, Hermione. And feel free to talk to us. Don't be a stranger again, alright? Good night."

"Good night, Harry."

Hermione felt a burden lifted off of her chest as she put the phone down. It really felt good to have talked to her old friend.

Weeks turned into a month fairly quickly, as Hermione found herself developing a quiet routine of her own. She took her work seriously and was starting to feel that even her manager's behavior towards her was changing from rude to indifferent as the time passed. Hermione was also becoming closer to her colleagues, especially Lizzy. Even though, she still was not very comfortable with her Legillimency some times, she had come to find a good friend in her. The rest of them were also quite helpful and pleasant to talk with, with the exception of Jessica though sometimes she did attempt to make polite talks.

When they received their salary at the end of the month, the group decided to celebrate. Hermione had dreaded what they meant by celebrating but was relieved to find out it was just about having drinks after they got off of work at a bar right across their office building. Hermione was quite happy to accept that.

'Blues' turned out to be a good place to hang out with your friends. The boys ordered beer while the girls had chosen to drink cocktails. The boys volunteered to get their drinks and when they got back, both Dylan and Andrew tried to give their glasses to Hermione. Lizzy laughed at their silly rivalry while Jessica rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Why don't you both hand me the drinks?" Hermione told them, after a minute long glaring contest between the two of them.

They both handed her their drinks happily which Hermione took in both of her hands and proceeded to pass them along to Lizzy and Jessica. That earned disbelieving looks from both Dylan and Andrew, and a hearty laugh from Tyler who gave Hermione the glass he had brought. The boys then went to get their own beers.

"You've certainly made an impression on the boys, Hermione." Lizzy teased her playfully.

"Oh please, Lizzy. They probably fight over every new flashy thing they come across." Hermione shrugged.

"Well, I've never seen Andrew O'Brian getting any drinks for another girl before." Jessica commented, taking a sip from her cocktail.

"I never thought you were interested in Andrew, Jess." Lizzy said, surprised.

"Hey, it's just that I always thought he wasn't interested in girls that way. But, clearly I was wrong. Still, I don't care." Jessica tried to steer the conversation away from her personal feelings about Andrew.

As if on cue, the boys got back to their table and Andrew was the one who spoke.

"Hey, what are you guys discussing so seriously about?"

"Nothing important." Jessica was quick to answer.

"Okay." Andrew muttered, looking at the girls and their serious expressions.

"Hey, they were probably talking about girl stuff." Dylan said.

"Really, Dylan? Last I checked, we had graduated out of Ilvermorny." Tyler said, rolling his eyes at Dylan.

"If it makes you feel any better, we were talking about how handsome Mr. Prince is." Lizzy said, spotting a black limousine parked outside the company gate.

That got the attention of the boys as they craned their necks to stare at the car, while Hermione chanced a glance just in case she caught Mr. Prince's face this time. She didn't. Lizzy gave her a sympathetic smile.

"He leaves rather late, isn't it?" Jessica commented.

"Yeah, he's a hard-working man. Or so they say." Tyler said, still looking at the black car speeding away from them.

"Or is it because he wants to avoid bumping into us lowly employees?" Dylan asked.

"Could be. He certainly goes out of his way to keep his privacy." Andrew shrugged. Hermione was instantly reminded of his private elevator and his private floor, not to mention his privacy clause.

"Hey, does anyone even know where he lives?" Lizzy queried.

"Nope. Not even the paparazzi have been successful in finding out his exact address." Jessica chimed.

"Well, we have been bound by contract to keep our noses out of his private business. I don't know about you all but I don't want to be losing this salary so soon." Hermione said, and soon the conversation was turned to the speculations about why Miss Harris was as rude as she was. They concluded that she needed to forget about getting her hands on Mr. Prince and move on.

Hermione had been completely immersed in her work the next Saturday, when her manager Miss Harris decided to make an announcement in a loud commanding voice.

"Listen up, you people. Take five for a bit."

Hermione sighed as she put a statis charm on her cauldron before turning her attention to her surly manager, who for some reason was sporting a smile today.

"You all will be pleased to know that our company was ranked second in the most successful no-maj pharmaceutical companies of US."

There was a spirited clapping from the employees, especially from Dylan and Tyler, and Hermione too joined in. When they had finished clapping; hooting and catcalling in Dylan and Tyler's cases, Miss Harris spoke again.

"Mr. Prince acknowledges the effort his employees have put in for making this feat possible and is giving a party in our honors tonight."

There was a loud shout of protest from Jessica.

"Yes, Ms Hall. Tonight. 9 pm to be exact. And it is mandatory for all the staff to attend. You are to be dressed appropriately. I am also to remind you all that you have to be careful while talking to the no-majs at the party and also refrain from giving away the secret of the existence of our kind. That'll be all. You can continue with your work now. Oh and I almost forgot, you have a half-day today; you can leave in your lunch hour. And do try not to make the department look bad in front of Mr. Prince."

With that, Ms Harris scooted off from their lab into her office.

"What is wrong with the management of this place? How can they inform us about party only hours before it's actually happening?" Jessica shouted from her place.

"Why don't you see the bright side, Jess. We are actually having a party. Isn't that good enough?" Dylan spoke and received a deathly glare from Jessica.

"Really, Reed? Girls also have to worry about their clothes and stuff, you know." Andrew told him in a condescending tone.

It was then that it dawned on Hermione that she hadn't thought about the dress issue yet. She didn't have anything appropriate enough to wear to an office party.

"There's no need to worry, Hermione. We can go shopping right after we leave here." Lizzy said to her.

"Yeah, right. And then we'll have more than enough time to get ready!" Jessica retorted sarcastically.

"We'll just have to make it work somehow." Lizzy sighed.

"We should probably be back to work, before Miss Harris decides to check up on us again." Tyler suggested and they got back at their places.

Lizzy however whispered to Hermione, "She won't be checking up on us today, she's probably already started with her make-up. She is really worked up that Mr. Prince will be attending the party tonight." That made Hermione grin back at her.

After the office hours got over, the three girls went to a shopping mall together so that they could help each other out and complete their task as fast as possible. It was proving to be a difficult task till now, as none of them could find anything they liked. Hermione wondered if it was due to the sudden pressure that was making shopping such an intense affair for them.

Finally, an hour later, they entered a boutique that looked promising. Hermione was immediately drawn to a pale yellow dress but her companions turned it down.

"Nope, not that one." Jessica simply said, moving her attention to the other dresses.

"It won't look good for a night party, girl. Try some darker colors." Lizzy said.

Hermione searched among other dresses and picked out an elegant blue satin dress and called out to the girls.

"Look, I think this one'll look great on you, Lizzy. It goes with your eyes." Hermione said.

"Yeah, that'll do nice for you, Lizzy." Jessica approved.

"Wow, that does look good. I'll try it on." Lizzy answered. "But first, you need to try this one."

Lizzy handed Hermione an emerald green dress and she held it against her. Made of silk, it was strapless and sleek, falling to her knees. There was a slight flair at the waistline, but Hermione thought it would be too clingy. She would never have thought of wearing the color while at Hogwarts, it perfectly matched the shade of Slytherin house color.

"Wow, you'll definitely look good in that." Jessica said in an approving tone.

Hermione looked uneasily at Lizzy who just dragged her to the changing room. After she had tried it on, Hermione felt that it was a perfect fit and maybe she wouldn't really be attracting that much attention anyway in the company of Jessica Hall. _And well, I'm no longer at Hogwarts! I can't really be accused of betraying my House._

Jessica too had managed to choose a dress, a crimson sheath dress with liberal amounts of laces and meshes. Hermione thought it matched her personality well.

They also bought new pairs of heels to go with their dresses. Hermione had been forced into buying rather high silver heels, but even she had to agree that they complemented well with her dress. Tired from their efforts, the girls then decided to go back. Lizzy invited them both to her place, but Jessica said that she had already asked her roommate to stay and help her for the night.

Hermione however, was happy to accept the company, which brought a huge grin on Lizzy's face. The two girls then left for Lizzy's place together.

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	5. A Damsel in Distress

**Author's Note** **:**

 **I'm really thankful for all your kind reviews and also for following and favoriting the story.**

 **worrywart, Thank you for sharing your review. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**

 **Chelsea always, thanks for continuing to follow this story and sharing your opinions. I do hope you find the party living up to your expectations.**

* * *

Lizzy too lived in a rented apartment, but it was a double one. She didn't have any roommate currently, so there was plenty of space there. The girls decided to take a quick nap for some time before starting to get ready.

Lizzy proved to be a great companion and they both helped each other out with their hair and make-up. Lizzy managed to do what Hermione had been struggling to so for years, to tame her bushy hair without putting it all together into a bun. And now, all thanks to Lizzy's miraculous hair potions, her hair fell into sleek soft curls around her shoulders.

"Wow, I've always struggled with my hair before." Hermione said, glancing into the mirror.

"Well, America has made more advancements in hair potions than England, I think." Lizzy answered.

"I wish I could use these potions every day. I always have to tie up my hair into a ponytail, otherwise I'm sure Miss Harris will call me out on looking untidy." Hermione groaned.

"Hey, forget about the rest of the days. As you can see for yourself, you look amazing today." Lizzy said, turning Hermione back to face her with the mirror. "And as for your regular untamed brown curls that go in your messy ponytail, I think they rather suit your personality. _You_ are just as untamed."

Hermione smiled at her friend's words, knowing that they were sincere.

The two girls arrived at their usual office building half an hour later than the given time. A decorated board told them that the party was taking place in the ground floor auditorium hall.

The two girls walked inside the hall; and even in the dimly lit room, everybody's eyes followed them as they walked over to the rest of their group. The hall was decorated so well that it was hard to imagine they were at their workplace.

"You look gorgeous, Hermione. And of course, Lizzy." Dylan was the first to comment.

"Looking great, girls." Tyler added, although Hermione did notice that his gaze lingered on Lizzy, making her friend blush slightly.

"You are a bit late, though." Jessica cut in; she herself was looking like a model from a magazine page.

"Sorry about that, we just stopped on our way to eat first. You all look pretty good too." Hermione told them. The boys were looking casual as usual in jeans but they had switched to shirts from their usual t-shirts.

"Yeah, had to put food before party. No comments from you, Andrew?" Lizzy inquired. Hermione now noticed that he'd been just looking in their direction; and when Lizzy called him out, he flushed and looked away embarrassed.

"Of course, you look good." Andrew managed, his eyes flicking to Hermione for a bit.

"Well, you missed Mr. Prince's speech. It was kind of short and to the point, though. He basically acknowledged the efforts of the employees and told us to have a good time tonight." Tyler told them.

Hermione felt a brief pang of disappointment; she had missed the enigmatic boss yet again. She looked around to find the man but Jessica promptly told her that he had already left.

"Maybe because he didn't want the um… attentions from our Ms. Harris." Dylan laughed. Hermione saw that the woman had chosen a tight fitting black dress for the evening and was seen sporting a sour look on her face. Despite her behavior towards Hermione, she felt a bit sad for her manager.

"Oh no. You are not going to go all soft on her just because she is alone tonight. Come on, Hermione. We need to enjoy the night; it's rare enough that we have office parties here." Lizzy nudged her. And Hermione grudgingly admitted that she was right.

"And besides, our dear manager is currently thinking some really crappy stuff about those two over there. You wouldn't be feeling bad for her if you heard half of it." Lizzy said, grimacing.

Hermione looked at Miss Harris again to find that the woman was indeed shooting glares in the direction of Nancy and Karen.

"They are the secretaries from the top floor." Hermione said.

"Yes, and I guess Miss Harris is just jealous that they get to see Mr. Prince every day, unlike her, right?" Andrew laughed.

"Yes." Lizzy answered, now looking at the secretaries with a new found interest.

"What's it, Lizzy? Care to share with us?" Jessica asked.

"Well, Miss Harris shouldn't really bother. The secretaries aren't actually a threat for her. They are... well, together." Lizzy said, receiving disbelieving looks from everyone except Dylan.

"Of course they are together. They work together, isn't it? But why is it so important, though?" he asked.

"You idiot, they are _together_. As in a relationship." Tyler explained, and it was Dylan's turn to look shocked and he started muttering under his breath. Hermione caught 'not fair' and 'such a waste' among them.

Soon after, the hall was filled with loud music, and the group moved to the dance floor. They kept their distance from the no-maj employees as the party included them too. Hermione was having a good time, letting go of her logical side for once and just grooving to the music. They stopped to take breaks in between, and there was no shortage of drinks at the bar, causing Dylan to exclaim, "Mr. Prince sure knows how to throw a party. I dearly wish we get parties like this all the time."

They danced till around midnight, before Hermione excused herself to use the restroom. Lizzy had volunteered to come with her, but Hermione didn't want to interrupt her dancing with Tyler and told her she could manage on her own.

The restroom was down the end of the long corridor from the hall, and Hermione made her way there with wobbly steps; the heels finally getting to her legs. However, she was stopped before she could get to the restroom door. Two men were standing in front of her, looking slightly drunk.

She recognized one as Ted, the same man whose conversation she had overheard talking outside the office building, a month ago. His partner was different this time, who she had never seen before. He looked a bit intimidating; with his well-formed biceps flexing threateningly.

"Are you sure this is the one? Or have you just wasted a good amount of my time for nothing?" the partner asked.

"Yes, of course. No one can forget this pretty face that easily, however she definitely looks more sizzling today than I remember." Ted said, looking her up and down.

Before Hermione could react, the partner had his hand over her mouth, and with the help of Ted, was dragging her towards another darker corridor. Hermione thought about using non-verbal magic but her wand was still tucked away in her purse. They halted in a dimly lit deserted corridor making sure nobody was around.

The partner released his hold over her and Hermione shrank away from him, clutching onto her purse tightly.

"Now, answer me girl. Do you work here?"

"Yes." Hermione replied, knowing full well that they already knew the answer; they had to, since she was attending the party tonight.

"I've been looking at you for a while now. You were quite good out there, on the floor." Ted started.

"First business, then pleasure, man!" the partner growled.

"Okay, okay. Keep your temper in check. Now, what exactly did you hear me saying that day?" Ted questioned her.

"What do you mean? I've never seen you before in my life." Hermione decided it was best to play innocent.

"Don't fuck with me, baby. I distinctly remember you moving closer to listen in on us. That time, I just thought you had taken a fancy to me." Ted said.

"Well, I don't remember anything." Hermione shot back.

"Perhaps we should help with your memory then." The other man spoke in a dangerous tone.

Hermione decided that the time for playing was over and the two men were going to attack her any moment. Before they could grab her, she turned on her heels and started running.

Hermione was out of breath and her high heels were not exactly helping her, but she didn't want to resort to magic till it was absolutely necessary. She had heard enough warnings to keep distance from the no-majs and maintaining their secrecy.

Her followers were gaining on her and she was frightened. Not because she feared for herself, but for the two no-majs who wouldn't stand a chance, once she took out her wand. And then, she collided into a firm wall of black suit. She felt a strong arm around her, steadying her.

Her followers had halted their steps too. She heard them panting before Ted stuttered, "Mr.… Mr. Prince?"

And then after a second, the two men were walking away from them quietly. She knew what had happened; they had been obliviated. _But, i_ _sn't that against the rules?_

"Not when you are running for your life, Miss Granger." came the answer.

Hermione's breath was caught when she heard the familiar deep voice. She steadied herself and looked up at her rescuer.

The face she saw in front of her; was certainly not what she had ever dreamt of seeing again. Of course, he looked very different from her memory of him but she could never forget those dark eyes that seemed to look far deeper inside her than anybody else's, even in the scarce light in there.

"You… you can't be… I have probably been drinking too much. I apologize, Mr. Prince." Hermione managed to say, but couldn't keep her eyes off of him.

The man took a deep breath, and spoke, "Perhaps it would be better if we could talk in my office, Miss Granger. I hope you can recall where it is?"

"Yes. Yes, sir." _His voice is still the same. No wonder, I could never place it before, I thought he was dead._

And as if on cue, a concerned voice was heard yelling, "Hermione, Hermione? Are you here?"

 _Crap, Andrew! They must've been wondering where I disappeared to._

"If you could excuse yourself from your friends, can I expect you in my office in, say five minutes? It's about time we talked." Mr. Prince said.

Hermione could hear some footsteps approaching and she turned around to find Andrew coming in her direction. When she turned back, Mr. Prince was already gone. _Damn, was I just dreaming?_

"There you are, why did you disappear from the party? Lizzy's been worrying about you." Andrew told her.

"I was just coming back in." Hermione said, walking back towards the hall with Andrew.

Her mind was spinning with questions. _Was I just dreaming or did I just see my former dead Potions professor in flesh down the corridor, a few moments ago? We had all believed that he was dead, but then his body had never been found, was it?. We had presumed it was destroyed with the Shack, during the second attack at the school. Could he have gotten away before that? But why didn't he let anyone know? Why is he here? And how did he manage to rise to such great heights of success as Mr. Prince? And how did I miss the connection before, when I had found out the Prince's identity in my sixth year itself!_

When the loud music rang into her ears again, she let her mind go blank. She knew that she couldn't let anyone knowing this secret, not even Lizzy. It wasn't really her secret to share.

Lizzy was visibly relieved to see her again and she chided her for scaring her. When Hermione said that she wanted to leave, her friends didn't let her go, at least for the next half hour. Andrew had offered to drive her home but she refused, telling them that she had a cab waiting for her outside the building.

Once Hermione got out of the hall, she made her way towards the elevators. The reception desk was deserted, and she knew that the woman was still inside the party. After making sure that there was no one watching her, she took the same elevator she had taken when she had first arrived, straight to the top floor.

Again, she was greeted with a deserted reception area and she hastily walked straight towards her boss's office. She was already late and she had heard enough stories from her colleagues about how much he valued punctuality. And now that she knew who he really was, she didn't really doubt those rumors.

There was no sign of him at the office though, but she found a comfortable looking sofa and a coffee table at one corner of the room. Hermione wondered if the furniture was right there the first time she had visited the office, invisible to her eyes then.

She spotted a note at the table, beside an empty glass and a jar of water. It was written in a familiar slant handwriting:

 _Looks like you had a hard time convincing your friends to let you go. I had to attend to an urgent matter, but I won't be long. Kindly wait for me and make yourself comfortable._

 _S. Prince_

 _Well, at least he isn't put out with my tardiness!_ She sat down on the sofa and decided to wait for her boss.

However, Hermione had drifted off to sleep long before Mr. Prince returned back.

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 **Feel free to share your thoughts!**


	6. A Breach of Contract

**Author's Note** **:**

 **100 follows! (Not that I was counting! *wink) Thank you all for your love. I hope you all keep enjoying the story and showing me your love. Thank you to each and every one of you who followed, favorite and reviewed this story.**

 **FrancineHibiscus, I just wanted to say that I have taken a few liberties with the story. Strong Legillimens can read surface thoughts similar to mind-reading, but they don't have telepathic powers. How Mr. Prince managed to find Hermione at the right place at the right time hasn't been discussed now. But it wasn't through telepathy. Thank you very much for continuously following the story and giving your reviews. I really appreciate your encouragement. And I also hope, you'll continue to do that.**

 **dragoon109, they claim to have better relations than Britain because they live and work side by side with the no-majs, which British wizards have never done. They also maintain and protect their secrecy at all costs, because of the violent history between the no-majs and wizrads. Thank you for sharing your views with me.**

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Hermione opened her eyes rather reluctantly, only when her bladders had forced her to. Her head felt heavy but eventually, she removed the soft comforter and got up, sitting down on the bed. It was only when she got down to the floor, desperately looking for her slippers, only to find a pair of questioningly high silver heels, did she realize something was wrong. The memories of the last night whirled around her dizzy head.

She looked around her frantically. She was still in Mr. Prince's office. She must've fallen asleep while waiting for him last night. Someone had transfigured the sofa into a medium-sized bed and even put a comforter over her. Instantly, she looked down at her clothing. She sighed in relief, finding that she was still in her last night's clothes. _Now that would have been embarrassing!_

Putting her train of thoughts away for a bit, she grabbed her purse and decided to ditch the heels as she walked out of the office bare feet. She remembered that it was Sunday and was glad she wouldn't have to encounter anyone else. If the top floor followed the design of the rest of building, she figured that there would be a restroom at the farthest end of the floor. She was right.

After relieving her bladder, she looked into the large mirror placed in the washroom. Her hair was slightly tousled but still maintained the sleek curls from last night. She might have to buy that hair potion, and made a mental note to ask Lizzy about its name. Her make-up was still perfect; ah, the perks of using the magical make-up, Lizzy's idea again. Her dress was also ruffled a bit, but she managed to straighten it up with a few flicks from her wand. After freshening up, she made her way back to the office, with even more apprehension than she had felt on her interview.

The office wasn't empty this time. Mr. Prince was sitting in his chair, wearing a plain black shirt and trousers; his blazer hung on the back of his chair. In the clear morning light and without the usual curtains of hair hiding his face, she could see his face clearly for the first time. She could see that he had a light stubble, a remarkable departure from his traditional clean shaved look. It looked rather good on him. His prominent hooked nose was just as she had remembered it. He was working on his laptop, but he looked her way when she approached him. His eyes were dark as ever and a flicker of surprise shot across them, when he saw Hermione. The bed and comforter was gone and the sofa was back in its place. Her deserted heels lay unmoved where she had left them.

 _Why is he surprised to see me? Did he really think I ran away, scared?_

"I will remember well to never presume that a Gryffindor such as yourself would ever run away from anything, Miss Granger. Now, why don't you take a seat and make yourself comfortable." He said in his deep voice, pointing towards the sofa.

 _As if Lizzy wasn't enough! How did I even forget that he was a Legillimens too? Wow, I really need to get a grip on my thoughts now. Calm down Granger, just calm down._ _There's the sofa! I'll just do as I am asked and think about nothing. NOTHING!_

"You have clearly still retained your insufferable habit of going over things again and again in your mind. Loudly, I might add. I had hoped you would've grown out of it by now, Miss Granger." came another snide remark from Mr. Prince.

 _Insufferable, really?_ _Was that actually an amused tone? Wait, insufferable habit? So it was actually my useless overthinking that he used to find insufferable? Am I loud in my thoughts too?_

"I'm sorry to have disappointed you then, Prof … Sir." Hermione fumbled with the answer.

"Miss Granger, you can call me sir or Mr. Prince; nothing else." Mr. Prince said, his tone betraying nothing, but his dark eyes carefully gauging her reaction.

 _He had once called himself the Half-Blood Prince after all. Who knew I would end up working for the 'Professor Snape'!_

"'Professor Snape'; the two words that I have left in my past, and I do hope you can remember never to say them aloud again, Miss Granger. I haven't taught anyone in quite a long time and I had never wanted to take my father's name in the first place." This time, there was a definite hint of touchiness in his voice.

 _Great, now I've made him angry. Way to go, Granger!_

"I'm sorry, S… Sir. It's all a bit overwhelming for me."

"How are you feeling this morning, Miss Granger?" His tone was clipped, even as he changed the subject.

Only then, Hermione remembered that she had a light headache.

"The potion on the table in front of you will help with making you feel better." He said, silkily.

She found that there was indeed a small vial on the coffee table and she gulped the contents down without any protests. The effect was almost instantaneous; the potion must've been an advanced one.

 _What else was I expecting; it must've been a product of Prince Pharmaceuticals. If there was an award for the 'Worst employee of the month', I definitely would've won it. I have after all crashed the night into the infamously reserved boss's office. And I haven't even thanked him for letting me stay._

Hermione was about to thank him, when her treacherous stomach rumbled loudly, making her flush with embarrassment.

"You must be famished, I can arrange the breakfast." Mr. Prince said in a rather soft voice, and all her embarrassment was gone.

Hermione tried to protest, she had already overstayed her welcome, spending the night there. But, Mr. Prince brushed off her objections with an authoritative, "I insist."

The small door that had distracted her during her interview, opened noiselessly and a tray full of delicious smelling breakfast flew inside the room, landing gracefully on the coffee table in front of her.

"Wow, a proper English breakfast?" Hermione couldn't help exclaiming.

Mr. Prince smirked, his lips moving into a lopsided smile. _No wonder, every other woman is throwing herself over him._

"I've been preparing my food for a long time, Miss Granger. You can eat as much as you want, there's no need to be conscious." He said warmly, busying himself with the laptop on his desk. She also spotted a number of files on his desk this time.

 _Is he really using a laptop? Never thought I would see this day!_

"The company has more business in the no-maj world than the magical, Miss Granger. Owing to their population. Now please, spare some of your attention to the food in front of you." Mr. Prince spoke, not looking up from his laptop screen.

Slightly embarrassed at being called out, Hermione helped herself to the bacon, fried eggs along with a toast. She was glad to find pumpkin juice as well, and ate to her fill. After she was finished, she looked up again. Mr. Prince was still immersed with his work, so she wandered over to the glass wall. The view was truly spectacular.

"You have questions, I presume?" Mr. Prince said, joining her after some time.

Hermione was startled by the sudden looming presence of the man standing beside her, but she composed herself quickly. The man still intimidated her. She did notice that he smelled good.

 _Am I not bound by a signed contract not to pry into his private life?_

"You are exempt from that contract, just for today."

"So it wasn't a magically binding contract?" Her eyebrow shot up looking directly into his dark eyes.

"No, Miss Granger. That would have involved a binding ritual. Every employee signs that contract, and I don't differentiate between magical and no-majs on that." He explained patiently.

 _Why didn't I think about that before? Did Lizzy realize that?_

"I would appreciate it if you didn't bring that to your fellow wizard and witches' attention." His tone was clipped this time.

 _He really does value his privacy._

"Of course. And yes, I do have some questions. How did you survive that night, the Shack was reduced to bits when we came to check it after the war?" She wondered, aloud.

He looked at the glass wall and his eyes seemed to go back into his memories when he replied, "I had a vial of anti-venom on me. Arthur Weasley had been attacked earlier by that same snake and since I was the one who had prepared his recovery potion, I had kept some on my person in case anyone needed it. I managed to gulp it down in time and recovered enough to leave that building before it fell down to pieces."

"But, why didn't you tell anyone that you had survived?" This was the question that she wanted the answer to, more than anything.

"There was no one worth telling that to. I had never meant to survive the war. In more than one way, Professor Snape died that night." He replied evenly.

"I hope you know that you are regarded there as a hero now." Hermione told him.

"Yes, and that every single wizard and witch in Britain now knows about my most personal memories." He said, and stared at her with his eyes burning.

Hermione averted her gaze. _Of course, Lily. Harry's mother. The one true love of his life._

"That's not exactly true." Mr. Prince said, with a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

Hermione looked up to find that he was staring at the glass wall again. His mask of indifference had slipped and he seemed a bit _guilty?_

"I have come to terms with the fact that just because Lily Potter was the only close friend I ever had as a teenager, it was foolish for me to assume that she was the love of my life. Besides, I have paid my debt to both the Potters by saving their son."

Hermione stayed quiet but she couldn't help feeling guilty about causing the usually indifferent man some grief.

"So, you moved here and built a new meaningful life for yourself?" Hermione asked after a while.

"Yes. Once I had heard that Harry Potter had successfully vanquished the Dark Lord, and everyone seemed to think that I was dead, I took my mother's family name and moved here. I had a small fortune with me at that time; some of my own personal savings and some I'd acquired from the Dark Lord. I made something of myself here, but I never wanted to come under the nosy assessments of other people again so I kept my life private. I wonder the Daily Prophet would still treat me as a hero if they thought I was alive, or choose to censure me for having carried the Dark Mark in the past." He finished with some bitterness.

Hermione chose not to comment. She herself couldn't argue with his views.

"I have taken many steps to ensure that my private life remains private this time around. I don't want to be the subject of people's gossips and unnecessary verdicts on my person again and neither do I want my past to catch up to me. I just want to be left away from all that." He stated.

Hermione had a feeling there was more to it than he let on. But then, it was his choice to tell her or not.

"Do you want to know why I didn't reveal my identity the first time you were here?" He asked quietly.

"Because you weren't sure about trusting me?" Hermione guessed.

Mr. Prince gave her a brief surprised look, before putting his mask of indifference back on.

Hermione continued, "I was wondering why you _did_ reveal yourself to me last night."

He was still looking at the glass wall when he replied, "I couldn't really let any of my employee get hurt inside my very own building."

"I am perfectly capable of keeping myself safe, Mr. Prince." Hermione shot back too quickly. "But then how could you know who I was when you arrived there… you were simply trying to save a female employee from a dangerous situation. I'm sorry." She mused out loud.

"I wasn't expecting any gratitude from you, Miss Granger. Those two men will not remember anything that happened in the corridor last night. However, I do need an answer. Why were those two no-majs after you in the first place?" His tone clearly reflected that he meant business.

"Well, it all started the very first I came here. While I was waiting for a cab outside the office building I heard some suspicious conversation between two men. I recognized their IDs but they didn't seem to mind me, probably because they thought I didn't work here as I wasn't wearing the company ID myself. I had almost forgotten about that incident when one of them came after me last night with a different partner, demanding to know what I had heard that day. He had apparently noticed me on the dance floor, last night."

Mr. Prince had listened to her patiently until her last line.

"It would've been hard for him _not_ to notice you, especially in this dress."

 _Did he just comment on my dress? I must be looking really indecent. I shouldn't have let Lizzy talk me into buying this. Shit!_

"Would you just stop with your self-pitying right now? It still amazes me that a beautiful and talented witch such as yourself has such a severe lack of self-confidence. I didn't make that comment in a negative way, Miss Granger. I'm sure all of the male population in the party had their eyes on you last night." He told her, but there was no sarcastic undertone to his voice.

Hermione felt her cheeks flush, and stared at her bare foot, deeply embarrassed.

 _Talented? Does he really think so or did he just say that just to make me feel better?_

"A witch who could brew a successful Polyjuice Potion in her second year itself, is definitely talented in my opinion, Miss Granger." came the reply.

 _Damn this Legillimency! He knew? Of course, he probably knew everything._

"Who do you think provided the potion for your recovery then, Miss Granger? However, you do seem to attract trouble wherever you go. A Gryffindor thing, I guess?" He asked, in an amused voice.

Hermione instinctively glared at him only to realize that her boss was sporting one of his crooked smiles, and realized that he had just been trying to make her comfortable again. _Wow, there is so much more to the man than I ever knew. But then, I always knew the spy that always had several masks and dangerous secrets, never the man underneath. He had sacrificed everything for the right cause and if it hadn't been for him, my friends and I would probably be dead long time ago. He really deserved whatever life he wanted for himself, and I definitely would never reveal anything about him to a single soul. I owe it to him. But right now, there are more pressing matters._

"It must've been a really important thing that they were discussing; otherwise they wouldn't have risked cornering me. I can recall that the conversation that they were having was about something illegal going on in their department and he mentioned that even the manager was in on it." She left out the part where they spoke about him being always unavailable.

"Did you manage to get which department they were from?"

"Manufacturing."

Mr. Prince frowned slightly as he thought about the information she had just relayed to him.

"Don't worry, Miss Granger. I will have the issue resolved." He replied curtly, moving to go back to his chair.

 _Oh, no. Not that easy._

"I want to help."

"I think the matter requires services of a spy, someone who can find information without giving himself away. It'll be safe if I handle the matter myself." He insisted.

"You'll be found out soon enough. However, unlike you I have ample experience of living around muggles. And please don't try to insult me by saying that I can't take care of myself." Hermione pointed out.

"And what do you think will happen when they recognize you from that day? I certainly can't let a repeat of last night happen." He warned.

"I'll use a Polyjuice potion. I'm sure I can fool them."

Mr. Prince considered her words, his eyebrow raised critically.

"Oh, come on. If I can pass myself as Bellatrix Lestrange, then I can surely pass as an unknown no-maj!" She ended up blurting out.

This time, both his eyebrows shot up.

"Did you really? _Oh yes, you did_." He said, finding the affirmation in her thoughts. And then he laughed; something Hermione had never seen him do in all the years she had known him. It was an enthralling sound. "Can I try to persuade you to provide me with that memory, Miss Granger?"

"No, but what you _can_ do, is let me find out what is happening in this 'Manufacturing' department, so that I can kick those men's arses while I am at it."

He raised one eyebrow at her words, but his lips twitched as if he was suppressing a smile.

"I never thought I would hear you use such language, Miss Granger. But then, you seem to be a woman full of surprises."

"Does that mean you're giving me permission?" Hermione asked, hopefully.

"Only on my terms, Miss Granger."

 _Of course!_

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 **Thanks for reading, and please feel free to share your thoughts in the reviews.**


	7. Terms and Conversations

**Author's Note** **:**

 **Another chapter! I hope you'll continue the love and support you've been showing for the story. My work schedule has been quite uptight these days and I hardly have time to write. In any case, the next chapter will be a bit longer; so worth the wait, I think! I hope you enjoy reading and keep telling me about your views.**

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Hermione spent the next hour with Mr. Prince, going over the details of their plan to infiltrate the department and to find out what those employees were up to. The conversation she'd heard was vague and didn't contain much information. They had managed to make a good enough plan, and if anything went wrong she had the permission to use magic, straight from the boss.

"Won't we get into any trouble with MACUSA? Aren't there any rules about using magic against no-majs?" Hermione had asked.

"MACUSA won't be worrying us about things like that, as long as they keep receiving their due donations at their annual gala." Mr. Prince had replied with a smirk.

 _Huh, Slytherins do make good businessmen!_

They had decided that Hermione would apply for a leave from her usual work for a week, and will be introduced as a new employee disguised under Polyjuice, to the Manufacturing department. She would then attempt to uncover the murky business, if any, that was going on there. She would also attempt to obliviate Ted and his partners of their memory of her.

She had been forbidden to tell anyone else of this plan, not even to her co-workers, one of the _terms_ her boss had mandated. Mr. Prince had decided to give her a new cellphone to remain in contact with him, as the company phones were monitored by the IT department of the company. It was going to be delivered to her address by that evening. He didn't think there were any problems with IT department, yet he didn't want to risk spreading any stories.

They had agreed it would be better to introduce her as 'Emma Sawyer', a fresh graduate from the Oxford University of London. It would be easier for Hermione to do that since she had spent some time there. She would be taking a Polyjuice potion to look like an ordinary no-maj; Hermione had decided to take the hair from someone from her apartment. With Mr. Prince's formula, she only needed to drink one sip of the potion to disguise herself for the next eight hours, which was an added benefit. Since the company had seven hours of work, she wouldn't be arousing suspicion by drinking the potion every hour. That also meant much less amount of hair would be required to sustain her for a week.

"But how are you going to get close to those men in such a short amount of time?" Mr. Prince questioned.

"I've noticed that there aren't much female staff in that department. If yesterday was anything close to the reality, it will be easy enough to get close to them. Besides, even the manager is a _Mr._ Cooper." Hermione smirked.

Mr. Prince didn't say anything but his frowning expression told her he wasn't happy about that.

 _At least, it will take sooner to finish the job this way. It's not as if I like it either._

It was easy to find what Ted's specific position was at the company, through Mr. Prince's access to all the employee records. They then tried to find who his partners on the two occasions were, using their physical details as search filters. The man he'd been talking to the very first day was Scott, who was from his own department, a rather new employee. But, the man from last night had been from the 'Sales' department. That meant the problem was graver than they had initially anticipated.

"Now, there's only one thing left for us to discuss." Mr. Prince spoke, rising from his chair.

"I thought we had covered everything about the plan!" Hermione said, confused.

"I wasn't speaking about the plan. I was talking about your tragic skill at Occlumency."

"Why is that important now? I thought we were dealing with no-majs here."

"That we are. But since you have found out about my identity and given our past history, I don't want anyone else to find out anything about me. Word really travels fast here, Miss Granger."

 _Oh well, I do have trouble keeping my thoughts to myself._

"Should you accept, I can offer to teach you the art of Occlumency myself after the office hours when you'll come to me with the daily reports." He offered.

 _An opportunity to learn Occlumency from the most accomplished Occlumens I know about? I would be a fool to turn it down. And I am anything but!_

"You know I can't turn your offer down, Mr. Prince. I have to come here daily with the reports of the day for the next week anyway, so I guess it'll fit right into my schedule."

Mr. Prince walked over to another empty corner of his office. But as he approached, a large bookshelf full of books appeared out of thin air. Hermione guessed it had been there the whole time, just like the sofa and the table. He picked out two books from the shelfs thoughtfully and came back to her.

"These books will give you a slight inside into the art of Occlumency. Knowing you Miss Granger, you probably would want to read up before you start any lesson. I do need to warn you that these books won't be of much help; since the subject is entirely a practical one."

 _Finally, someone who understands me! A bit unnerving too!_

When Hermione took the books from him, her fingers brushed against his. He stilled at the contact and hastily moved away from her. She didn't know what to make of that and mumbled her thanks.

"Okay then, Miss Granger. I think we have made enough plans for today."

"Yes, I think it's about time I left. Thank you for… well, everything, sir." Hermione said before putting on her uncomfortable shoes.

She started to walk towards the door when Mr. Prince said, "It would be better if you apparated directly to your house. You can't expect to walk outside looking like that, in the broad daylight and not attract attention. Besides, you are going to encounter many security guards on your way out."

This time, Hermione managed to ignore the remark about her dress, but decided to take his advice.

"Thanks for the reminder, and for allowing me to apparate."

She gave him a grateful smile before apparating away to her flat.

Hermione had changed into a comfortable pair of trousers and t-shirt after a long comforting bath before lying down on her bed. The things that had happened since last night replayed back in her mind.

Wow, her boss was actually her ex-Potions professor; probably the most powerful wizard in Britain now. But, he didn't want to do anything with his past. Their similar situation was a bit odd. She also couldn't believe that she had such a great time with him. She wondered what Harry would say if he found out; she laughed at his face her imagination whipped out for her. Maybe one day, Mr. Prince could tell her friend himself that he was still alive and Harry would at least get some peace apologizing to him in person.

And the important thing was that she was going to be working with him closely, uncovering a mystery just like good old days. He had even offered to teach her Occlumency and she couldn't decide what she was more excited for: Spying or Learning.

She checked her phone to find several messages from Lizzy and one from Andrew; all checking up on her. She replied them back, telling them she was alright but needed to visit her parents back home and that she won't be able to come to work for a week. She also sent an e-mail to her manager, informing about her unexpected leave. Mr. Prince had assured her that her leave would be approved by the HR department, when Miss Harris forwarded it to them.

Hermione had been immersed in reading 'Occluding the Mind', when there was a knock on her window. She opened it to see a delivery owl carrying a brown parcel bag. The owl dropped the package in haste, and flew away.

She opened the package curiously, and found a brand new iPhone inside along with some vials of Polyjuice Potion and Veritaserum, as well as some documents. She recalled Mr. Prince telling her about the new phone as she kept the vials and documents carefully at her table. There was a new e-mail account already set up, with a single contact added to it: **S. Prince.**

There was an unread e-mail waiting in her inbox. She opened it.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your New Phone

 **Date** : July 21 2012 17:05

 **To** : H. Granger

Dear Miss Granger,

I had to use the owl post so as not to arouse any further suspicions; there is a notice-me-not charm on the owl so it will only be visible to the receiver.

I've also sent you a vial of Veritaserum, which I thought would prove useful in your interrogations.

I also thought it would be good if you had this new e-mail id, linked with my personal account. I hope this phone proves useful to you.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Hermione hit reply.

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : New e-mail id

 **Date** : July 21 2012 17:32

 **To** : S. Prince

Dear Mr. Prince,

Wouldn't it have been easier if you just texted?

Also, thank you for the new phone, I hope it isn't tabbed on my salary!

And about thinking of Veritaserum. I agree, it would be really useful. Now all I have to do is, find a suitable no-maj's hair for the Polyjuice.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

She had to wait five minutes for the response.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : New e-mail id

 **Date** : July 21 2012 17:37

 **To** : H. Granger

Miss Granger,

I assure you the phone is a gift, a small token of appreciation for the very big task you've decided to burden yourself with. I assure you I wouldn't have allowed this if it wasn't a serious matter of compromising the company's products.

Also, I am used to sending the e-mails over these years. I must confess, I've never needed to send anyone a text message before. If you have any problems replying to the e-mails, I can communicate via text messages too. But don't they have a word limit?

I wish you luck with your efforts in finding the victim for your Polyjuice. I will be looking forward to seeing her tomorrow.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _Never? Now that is a novelty, since he's been living in muggle world for so long. And of course he would find a word limit troublesome!_

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : No problems at all

 **Date** : July 21 2012 17:40

 **To** : S. Prince

Mr. Prince

If you are more comfortable with the e-mails, I have no problem responding through them. I was merely pointing out that text messages are more convenient when you're pressed for time. Yes, they do have word limits. Still, you should try them sometime.

Also, I'll try to make sure that my would-be 'victim' proves acceptable enough for you.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

There was no reply to that. And then Hermione decided to go searching for a possible no-maj girl she could disguise herself as. She disillusioned herself and stepped out of her apartment. She decided to wait in the elevator, waiting for a suitable candidate to arrive. She felt a slight pang of guilt about stealing someone's identity without their permission, but then she figured it wasn't really going to hurt anyone.

She had taken a few rounds in the elevator disillusioned, when she found a girl that accorded to what she was looking for. The girl was around her age and her height, and was wearing a flight attendant uniform, so Hermione concluded that she was a no-maj. A quick sensory charm on her told her that there were no signs of magical trace on her and also that she was perfectly healthy. Hermione managed to grab some strands of her hair without making the girl suspicious and sighed with relief. It hadn't been a very easy task, like she had initially thought.

When she was back in her apartment, Hermione kept the strands of hair beside the Polyjuice potion. She thought about sharing the news with Mr. Prince. She had almost typed in an e-mail, before she hesitated and deleted it.

 _He isn't exactly my friend with whom I can share these insignificant things. I admit that now he isn't like the snarky professor I once knew, but he is still my boss. But then, he had seemed genuinely interested when we had been planning. Of course he did, he has his company's interests in mind; not that he likes spending time with me of all people!_

Hermione opened up her Occlumency book again and resumed her reading. But somehow, she couldn't concentrate on the printed words, and her mind kept going back to the conversations she had had with Mr. Prince. One question got her wondering and she thought it would be better if she just asked him than thinking about it till tomorrow.

Making up her mind, she took out her new phone and started typing.

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : First step completed

 **Date** : July 21 2012 20:10

 **To** : S. Prince

Mr. Prince

You would be glad to know that I successfully found a victim for the Polyjuice and have completed the first step of my task.

On another note, you said earlier that I was exempted from the contract for today. Since the day isn't over yet, can I ask another question?

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

After re-reading it for good measure, she finally hit reply.

When there was no reply even after ten minutes, she decided that he wasn't going to reply after all and decided to order her dinner.

Hermione had been preparing for bed, since tomorrow was going to be a big day for her, when her phone pinged. There was a reply from Mr. Prince.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Curious as Ever

 **Date** : July 21 2012 22:27

 **To** : H. Granger

Miss Granger,

I apologize for my late response; I was caught up in my own research and wasn't expecting any correspondence.

I _am_ glad to know that you've successfully completed the task for today; I had no doubts about your competence anyway.

I agree today's not over yet, so you are within your rights to ask me your question. However, I don't think even tomorrow would diminish your curiosity in any way.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Hermione couldn't help smiling as she read the e-mail. She replied immediately.

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : My question

 **Date** : July 21 2012 22:30

 **To** : S. Prince

Mr. Prince

You didn't have to apologize, you _did_ reply after all.

I wanted to know just one little thing. When I came to you for my interview, you didn't trust me enough to reveal your identity. And by now, I know fairly well how much you value your privacy. You could've just refused me the job, than risking your identity. Why did you hire me in the first place?

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

There was an instant reply.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Slytherin for Life

 **Date** : July 21 2012 22:32

 **To** : H. Granger

Miss Granger,

I hope you still remember that I am a Slytherin and that we are the most cunning and ambitious people you'll ever meet.

Do you really think that a Slytherin such as myself would let 'the brightest witch of her age' walk away from his employment?

Now, I would advise you to put down your phone and try sleeping. You have more important tasks to complete tomorrow.

Sleep well.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Hermione stared at her phone for a long time, before believing the words in front of her. Thinking it would be rude not to reply, she typed out a short e-mail.

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Important day ahead

 **Date** : July 21 2012 22:33

 **To** : S. Prince

Good night to you too, Mr. Prince.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

She re-read their conversation a few more times, before she fell asleep with a rather big smile.


	8. Occlumency 101

**I know that I haven't updated this story in quite a while. I am really sorry for that but I didn't really have the time. It warms my heart to read the reviews and know that you guys are liking the story and want me to continue it further. Here's hoping that I keep up with your expectations!**

* * *

Hermione smirked as she watched the expressions of the two brunette secretaries Nancy and Karen when she walked in, after her working hours. At first, they stared blankly at her for a moment and then started glaring at each other. Hermione knew that it was probably the result of her Polyjuiced form and yet she thoroughly enjoyed their reactions. Finally, Nancy cleared her throat and spoke.

"Ma'am, are you here for a job interview? The office hours are almost over. And, I didn't really get any call informing your arrival."

Hermione could detect some discomfort in her voice, probably because the boss didn't appreciate meeting anyone without an appointment. Knowing the man himself, Hermione knew that her anxiety was well founded.

"Actually, I have an appointment with Mr. Prince. You can check with him if you want, by the name of Emma Sawyer." Hermione replied in the voice that was still unfamiliar to her.

Hermione wasn't exactly surprised when Nancy picked up her phone and inquired about her appointment with her boss.

"Very well. Your appointment seems to be in order. Now, if you'll please follow me, Miss Sawyer."

With that, Hermione was led towards Mr. Prince's office once again, with Nancy leading the way.

Nancy led her to the office and after Hermione had entered, she closed the door behind her just like she had done the first time around. Nancy's subtle glance over Hermione's blouse didn't go unnoticed by her.

"I assume from your smile that your day went well, Miss Granger?" Mr. Prince's deep voice greeted her. He was sitting at his desk, his laptop open in front of him, dressed in a black suit. _Well, no surprises there!_

"The day went exactly like we had been expecting. I think I made a fairly good impression in the department, and also on your secretaries." Hermione said, amused.

"I see that you chose your _victim_ quite well, Miss Granger." He said. _Wait, was that an approval?_

Hermione felt an unexpected sense of accomplishment. It felt good to hear him commend her efforts.

"Do you always wear black?" She asked, looking at him. _Not that he doesn't look good in it!_

"If my memory serves me right which it usually does, you were excused from your contract only for yesterday, Miss Granger." He accused.

"Well, I'm not exactly 'Miss Granger', am I? I am Emma Sawyer. And last I checked, Emma Sawyer has not signed any non-disclosure contract." Hermione replied, sinking into a chair opposite him.

Mr. Prince raised an eyebrow.

"You will prove to be quite a businesswoman, Miss Sawyer. You sure know how to get your fair share of a deal."

Hermione chuckled. She knew she wouldn't have risked being so open with her boss if she were here as herself; she was after all his employee.

"You still didn't answer my question, Mr. Prince."

"You would do well in journalism too, Miss Sawyer."

"That wasn't an answer."

"No, it was a compliment. And why do you think I should answer your question?" He asked, folding his hands under his chin.

Hermione mimicked his actions and replied confidently looking into his bottomless dark eyes, "You wouldn't want to displease me, Mr. Prince. I can give you some very important information about your company."

He seemed to consider her for a moment, his eyes squinting just a bit.

"You aren't going to let it go, are you?"

"Nope." Hermione said, surprised by her own nerve. _Well, the Hat did sort me into Gryffindor, didn't it!_

"I have always favored black; but I do wear some other colors. Now is your interview over?" He was growing impatient, that Hermione could tell.

"This will do for today. I am curious about those other colors but I do value my job more. So yeah, interview's over." Hermione said, hoping he didn't turn back into the surly man she had once known.

"Back to business, then. How did today go?" He asked.

"It went well. I managed to get in good terms with Ted and the other employees. We'll just have to wait for a few more days to get our answer." Hermione reported.

"Hm. Was your phone switched off at lunch?"

The question took Hermione by surprise.

"Oh, it still is. I think the manager told me to keep my private phone switched off while at work and I never switched it on. I was a bit occupied at lunch, listening to the tall tales of Ted and company." Hermione rolled her eyes at the memory.

The phone on Mr. Prince's desk rang.

"Yes?" He answered, authoritatively.

"You can leave. Both of you." He said, before putting the phone down. _Nancy and Karen, then. Looks like it's five, already!_

"So where were we, then?" Mr. Prince asked.

Before Hermione could reply, he spoke again. "Ah, yes. Occlumency lesson."

Suddenly Harry's account of his lessons with the professor ran through her mind.

"You need to relax and clear your mind, Miss Granger." Mr. Prince said in a soft relaxing voice.

Hermione remembered about the meditation exercises she had read about. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to clear away all her thoughts.

"I see that you have already practiced some meditation exercises. You will definitely prove to be a better learner than your friend."

Hermione fought hard to keep her emotions in check, trying not to focus on his praise.

"Very good. We first need to bring out your mental shield. You'll try to repel me by your brain when I attempt to break into your mind. Now open your eyes."

Hermione opened her eyes to look straight into a pair of black ones and an ebony wand was pointed at her. She heard him mutter, "Legilimens!"

At first, Hermione felt nothing. But as soon as she had started getting a bit comfortable and let her guard down, she felt an invasion in her mind.

Hermione found herself reliving her day. It wasn't exactly the horrible experience Harry had described to her.

 _"Listen up, you lot! This here is Emma Sawyer, an intern in our department. You all will make her feel welcome and help her while her week long stay. Now, get back to work." The manager was shouting to the rest of the engineers_ ; Hermione was feeling excited to finally start her work…

 _Ted was leaning towards her and saying "You are far too lovely to be working with these dangerous chemicals."_ And Hermione barely resisted slapping the lecherous expression on his face away…

 _Ted was introducing her to his friend Scott, who turned out to be the same man she had witnessed talking outside the building with Ted_. She felt excited to have made the first step…

 _She was hanging out with Ted and Scott and some other engineers in the cafeteria while they made jokes and she was forced to laugh and overlook their flirtatious glances…_

 _She was about to leave when Ted caught up with her and decided to give her his number and she forced a smile…_

"You aren't even _trying_ , Miss Granger!" an exasperated voice brought her back.

 _Wow, so that's what it feels like!_ Hermione took another moment to get her head around the unreal feeling of Legillimency.

"That _obviously_ didn't work, so now I'll be going with the tough approach. Brace yourselves; it isn't going to be so comfortable. Now, look at me. Legilimens!"

 _A very young Hermione was sitting in the Potions classroom, her hand raised high, desperately trying to get the teacher's attention… She had almost given up hope when a very young Harry Potter brought her to the teacher's attention… She was prepared to answer all his questions but the teacher just snapped "Sit down" at her without even looking her way… She was heavily disappointed as she quietly wrote down his explanations…_ But right now, she understood that it all an act.

 _Hermione was crouched down under the Quidditch stands… she pulled out her wand and whispered a spell… bright blue flames shot out from her wand onto the hem of black robes… a sudden yelp told her that her job was done… she felt so proud of herself…_ but now all she could feel was how wrong she had been to accuse him of something he had not done.

 _"GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!" Snape was shouting… she could feel that he was going to attack them soon… her mind made up, Hermione pointed her wand at him and muttered, "Expelliarmus!"… the professor was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall… he was injured and wasn't moving… she felt terrified that she had attacked a teacher…_ Now, all she could feel was her guilt.

 _Ron was forcing Hermione to show Snape her teeth… she was doing her best to hide them with her hands but they had now grown down past her collar… Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, "I see no difference."… Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran… She hadn't felt so humiliated before…_

Suddenly she was looking into the dark eyes of Mr. Prince again, but they were full of... _regret_. He composed himself in no time, and his mask of indifference was back on his face. She wanted him to know that she didn't have any hard feelings at that incident now, but couldn't really get those words out aloud.

"I don't think you are trying that hard, Miss Granger." He said, coldly.

"I'm sorry…" Hermione muttered, her mind was still reeling from the visit to the past.

He let her get her bearings on for the next few minutes, before he asked, "Should we give it another try?"

Hermione nodded and tried to keep her mind blank.

"I'll be digging in a little deep this time, Miss Granger. You are probably going to be relieving your worst memories and if you want to avoid that, I suggest you should concentrate hard on your mental shield." He instructed.

 _Ah, the tough teacher is back!_

And Hermione had already made the mistake of thinking about his instructing attitude.

 _Hermione was kneeling down on the floor in the middle of the room… there was a terrible pain in her chest… "You're lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!" Bellatrix was shouting… once again the pain shot through her… "No, we've never been… "What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!"… "ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"… Hermione felt she'd lose her mind to the pain…_ She tried hard to lose the memory and thankfully the scene changed.

 _Hermione was happy…so excited to complete a month at the Ministry and she was going to tell her boyfriend about her first salary… she opened the door to his small office… Ron wasn't alone… he was wrapped around another witch who was splayed on his desk naked… Hermione felt her heart break at the sight…_ she summoned all her concentration, determined not to relive those emotions again. The scene changed.

 _Hermione was in her own house…the one she had grown up in… she was looking at the various photo frames that presented the three people who happily lived here… there were so many memories here, from her birth to her current age… with a heavy heart she was erasing herself from all of those pictures…she came quietly into the living room to find her parents sitting at the sofa in front of the telly… she didn't have enough courage to do it in front of them, so she pointed her wand at their backs…_

NO! NO! Hermione shouted, not knowing if it was only inside her thoughts. A hot fury had erupted inside her head, and the flames were destroying everything in their path, even the foreign invasion in her mind.

Hermione stood shaking, her hands clutched at the desk to keep her steady. Her heart rate and breathing were quite high, and her consciousness was burning with a strange fire.

"Here, drink some water."

With bleary eyes, she saw a glass of water being offered to her. Mr. Prince had left his seat too, and was standing beside her.

"You did very good, Miss Granger. Even I couldn't create an Occlumency shield in my very first lesson. Now please, have a drink." He sounded a bit worried.

Hermione turned to him and took the glass with shaky hands but before she could take a sip, it had slipped from her hands, spilling the water all over her clothes, and smashing into bits on the marbled floor.

"Sorry…" she muttered. The cold water had brought her mind back to the present world. The suffocated feeling from her suddenly tight clothes brought to her attention that she was back to her own body now.

Hermione looked up to see that Mr. Prince's eyes were travelling down her wet form, and settled on the mess at her feet. There was a strange expression on his face, as if he was trying hard to contain his emotion.

And then it dawned on her. _I have created such a mess in his immaculately clean office. He must've been controlling the rage he's so infamous for!_

She hastily looked for her purse and drew out her wand, cleaning the shards of glass and water from the floor. Mr. Prince moved back to his chair, without even a glance at her. Hermione dried and adjusted her own clothes, before settling back in her seat.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Hermione broke the ice. "Um, do I have to feel that angry to bring up the shield again?" Her own voice sounded a bit strange to her. _Damn, the Polyjuice!_

"No, Miss Granger. A strong emotion is only required to give the first push into bringing forward the shield. Since yours is a fire-shield, rage was probably the best suited solution." came the reply in an unemotional voice.

 _At least, he's not angry at me anymore!_

"So, there are different types of mental shields, sir?" Hermione couldn't help inquiring.

"Yes. Depending upon the different personalities of the individual. For example, I have an ice-shield." Mr. Prince explained.

 _Fitting!_

"Perhaps you should try bringing up your shield again. Just a bit of concentration would do it." he lectured.

Hermione took a deep breath and focused on her shield. And soon enough, a soothing fire had filled her consciousness. She opened her eyes and looked at her professor/boss. The presence of her shield brought over a sense of calmness.

"Very good, Miss Granger. Now, at least your surface thoughts will remain protected."

 _She had done it! Finally!_

"I think that we have accomplished much for today. Tomorrow, we can delve deeper into the protections used against specific Legillimency attacks." Mr. Prince remarked.

"Thank you, Mr. Prince." Hermione said. Calling him as something other than 'professor' still felt surreal to her.

She turned to leave when Mr. Prince called, "Miss Granger, it would probably be better if you apparate directly from here."

At her questioning look, he explained further, "It wouldn't do if any of your colleagues or even your manager spots you leaving from the building looking like this. You are supposed to be in London, afterall."

Hermione gave herself a mental slap. "Of course. It never occurred to me to think of that, thanks sir."

And she looked at the dark haired man one last time before apparating with a _pop._

Hermione hadn't realized how tired she was until she had retired to her bed later at night. Only then, she had the time to turn her phone on. There was an unread e-mail.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your Assignment

 **Date** : July 22 2012 12:32

 **To** : H. Granger

Miss Granger,

I hope you've had no trouble with your endeavors till now. However, this is simply to remind you that in case the task goes out of your hands, you are to immediately back out and not put your Gryffindor pride first.

I do hope it doesn't come to that, but even if it does, I wouldn't think any less of you.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

This somehow brought a smile on Hermione's tired face. She didn't really think through her reply much and typed.

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Your Concern

 **Date** : July 22 2012 21:23

 **To** : S. Prince

Your concern, though completely unfounded, was touching. The Sorting Hat did not make a mistake while putting me in Gryffindor. After surviving through a wizarding war, I am sure I can handle a few muggles.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Not really expecting an instant reply, Hermione sank into her pillows. But her phone buzzed, alerting her of a new e-mail.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Underestimating Your Opponent

 **Date** : July 22 2012 21:25

 **To** : H. Granger

Miss Granger,

I think you are by now, too tired to be thinking straight so I'll excuse your insolent reply. You should consider going to sleep now; you do have an important job which requires your full attention during the day.

I stand by what I said. Being a Gryffindor does **not** mean having to risk your life in every dangerous situation. And tomorrow, when you are back to your rational self, you yourself will agree with me when I say that it can sometimes prove fatal to underestimate your opponent, even if they are muggles.

Sleep well and don't bother with a reply.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Soon enough, Hermione fell asleep, dreaming of a dark haired prince, rescuing her from evil muggles.

* * *

 **Awaiting your reviews...**


	9. Blast from the Past

**Hey guys, I've been reading your reviews; a huge thank you to all of you who took out their time to make me so happy. After all, these are the only reimbursement us fanfiction writers get. But please don't take it as me trying to force you to write something; that has to be completely voluntary. Just thought I should mention it.**

 **One of the reviewers Daphne, mentioned that the title of the story had put her off at first. I've given it some thought and decided that she did have a point. I don't want people not deciding to read the story if they find the title unattractive. So I'm asking you all for a little HELP here. If you can come up with a new title to the story, do suggest it in the reviews. I'll be happy to receive your ideas. **

**Here's the next chapter! Do enjoy!**

* * *

The next two days went by without any major hurdles for Hermione. She kept up her cover as the unwitting intern in the Manufacturing Department, with no one suspecting anything of her. Her internship had been directly approved by the CEO himself afterall. The manager, a lazy man named David Cooper didn't give her any second thoughts. In fact, the man hardly even gave his workers any of his attention, choosing to remain cooped up in his small office.

Much to Hermione's annoyance, she hadn't been able to uncover any of the trails leading to a foul play inside the department yet. Mr. Prince had advised her to remain patient, something she was found was quite a difficult thing to do. Ted and his cohorts were openly fawning over Emma Sawyer, yet they had never revealed anything of importance to her about their off hours work.

The Occlumency lessons were progressing much faster though. Mr. Prince had been very pleased with her improvement and had even complemented her to be a natural at it. Though, Hermione herself thought that her focused preparations and revision were the reason for her success. She had learnt how to defend her fire shield against a forceful Legillimency attack, and was now practising how to build an alternate landscape planted with false or unimportant memories inside her mind in order to mislead a skilled Legillimens.

"Did you use the same technique against Voldemort?" Hermione couldn't resist asking Mr. Prince when he had explained about the mindscape technique.

His dark eyes had darkened a bit further at the Dark Lord's name, and his jaw clenched a bit, nothing too apparent, but Hermione did not fail to notice the change.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to bring back any memories." Hermione spoke hastily.

Mr. Prince gave a tight smile at Hermione's words, before he spoke. "You know, Dumbledore always used to rebuke me for fearing the Dark Lord's name. All of his lectures about how not speaking the name further increases the fear; you must be familiar with all that. I never told him that my response wasn't triggered by the fear really, but the name itself was a huge reminder of why my life had been reduced to the hell it was. All because of the one person who held that name."

"I can't imagine what you went through, sir. That man was responsible for ruining the lives of so many people. But he is now long gone, Harry saw to that." Hermione said, not sure how to comfort the man.

"Yes, yes. He is gone. I never thanked Potter for that, or even you for that matter. Please accept my gratitude, Miss Granger. You have brought me back from a living hell." Mr. Prince said, and his eyes shone with sincerity.

Hermione didn't know how to respond to that. She wanted to deny that she had any significant role in the downfall of Lord Voldemort; that people like Harry and Mr. Prince himself had sacrificed far more for the cause than her. But, she couldn't bring herself to argue with the man at that moment. She concentrated on her fire shield and it instantly provided her some comfort from her own sinking emotions. Looking in the grateful eyes of Mr. Prince, she just nodded mutely.

After a few moments, Mr. Prince cleared his throat and the lesson continued.

"Now, you won't find any skilled Legillimens that easily. But just in case a Dark Lord tries to snoop into your mind, you won't be protected by a simple shield. They'll keep attacking your mind until they finally tire you and your shield snaps. So, it is a better idea to use the mindscape technique. It tricks the Legillimens into thinking he's viewing the memory which the person holds most important, when he's only viewing the memories that you decide to show them. He thinks he's the one who is in control, while you hold the reins all the time.

In order to get a first hand experience, you'll need to see the mindscape yourself. So tell me Miss Granger, how do you feel about practicing some Legillimency first?"

Hermione's eyes were wide after hearing the suggestion. She had been counting on learning Occlumency, but Legillimency seemed like an extra treat to her eager mind.

"Are you really serious?" Hermione wondered aloud.

"Unfortunately, I am Severus, Miss Granger." He deadpanned.

Now Hermione was sure her eyebrows had been lost in her bushy hair. _Was Severus Snape, of all people, was cracking a joke? On her expense?_ And suddenly, she felt relieved at the now familiar sensation of her shield.

After the initial shock was over, Hermione couldn't help laughing out loud. Even Mr. Prince had a small smile on his face.

"I was however, serious about teaching you Legillimency, Miss Granger. Unless of course, you don't want to."

"No, no, no, no." Hermione had blurted out, making Mr. Prince chuckle. _Urgh, why do I always have to embarrass myself like this?_ "I'd very much like to learn Legillimency, sir." She added, gleefully.

Mr. Prince had gone back to his teaching mode.

"Look directly into the eyes of the person you intend to Legillimize. 'Intent' is the keyword here, Miss Granger. You have to focus on breaking into another person's mind, even against his own will. Concentrate on your mental strength, which is fire in your case, and let your energy seek out the other mind. You already know the incantation, so give it a try now and we'll see."

"Wait, do I have to Legillimize _you_? But you're an excellent Occlumens, how can I think about breaking into your mind?" Hermione asked, incredulously.

"Sadly, there's no other person available to test your skills, Miss Granger. And don't worry, I'll drop my Occlumency shields for the time being. I only intend to show you how a mindscape looks like." He explained.

Hermione felt some relief at his words, and they did seem logical now. "Okay, I can try then."

"Good. Remember Miss Granger, focus on your mental strength and your 'intent'." With those words, the dark eyes were on hers.

Hermione steeled herself and pointed her wand at her boss. She looked into those black eyes and thought about the depths of memories they possessed. "Legillimens!"

At first, nothing happened. Hermione concentrated hard on bringing forth her fire and then on the person before her. The fire seemed to spread through her mind and she lost her sight. Everything appeared pitch black, even through she was sure she was still looking into Mr. Prince's eyes. Then she felt a shiver. Like someone had thrown a bucket of ice down her body. _Ah, the ice shield._

But the feeling was gone soon enough. _He has dropped his shields for me to proceed further._ And soon enough, she found herself being pulled towards a bright strand of light. _Perhaps a memory!_

 _It appeared to be a dark night and a single torch was lit in the clearing… Severus Snape was standing in his Death Eater robes, in line with others wearing similar black robes, all hooded and masked… "I've been hearing some stories about Hogwarts, Sseverus. It seems a mudblood named Granger is securing the first place in Potter's year. Do you wish to elaborate on that, my potions master?" Voldemort spoke in a dangerous low voice, advancing on Snape's form like a predator… a brief hint of fear which was nipped in its bud before Voldemort had reached him… "My Lord, I try my best not to encourage mudbloods like her. There are other subjects which I have no control over. Besides, Dumbledore would get suspicious if I raise my voice against such incidents." Voldemort gave him a piercing glare and he felt the icy touch against his mental shield, no doubt sensing for any lies… Finally, Voldemort's presence was gone from his mind, "You play a dangerous game, Severus. Cruc-"_

Hermione felt herself being suffocated under ice, before her mind was thrown out of Mr. Prince's mind.

"You weren't supposed to see that." Mr. Prince spoke quietly. Hermione could see the force he had summoned to speak.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I saw the lighted thread and thought it was the mindscape you were talking about." Hermione mumbled.

"I am not blaming you, Miss Granger. It was a mistake on my part, I believe. No matter, we will try again."

"Do you… I mean, do you need some time to ready yourself?" Hermione asked, hesitantly.

"I _am_ ready, Miss Granger. I don't require any time to brace myself for a Occlumency attack. Not anymore." He answered.

"Okay." Hermione said, before launching another Legillimency attack on him.

This time as soon as the icy shields dropped, Hermione found herself in a small thicket of trees. She could see a sunlit river glittering through their trunks. The shadows cast by the trees made a basin of cool green shade. Hermione spotted a brief flash of red in the water, and a beautiful face of a very young girl with red hair could be seen in the reflections before vanishing away quickly.

 _Albus Dumbledore was walking leisurely along with a familiarly dressed Professor Snape in his black billowing robes… "If I happen to die before the year ends, keep an eye on Harry, Severus. This is the last request I ask of you."… Snape nodded, staring at the Headmaster's blackened hand and asked, "So Potter is going to finish his studies?"… Dumbledore gave him his famous twinkling smile, and replied, "How else is he going to defeat Voldemort?"… Snape felt a brief sense of achievement at receiving the new information and then a flash of anger at the old man for implying a mere teenage boy could defeat the greatest wizard of all time…_

The scene faded away and Hermione pulled out of his mind.

"So, it was a fabricated story, then?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, the one I gave to the Dark Lord when he asked me about the whereabouts of Potter in the aftermath of Dumbledore's death." His voice hardened a bit at the last words. It appeared to her that he hadn't forgiven himself for that yet.

Before Hermione could say something to bring him some comfort, he spoke again. "I'm curious, how did you conclude it was a fabricated story? Was there anything I missed?"

Hermione pondered about telling him about the brief flash of Lily's face in his mind, but decided against it. It was, afterall his personal affair, one he would be least likely to share with her. So, she pointed out the other reason. "I know that Dumbledore had assigned Harry with the task of finding the Horcruxes in the sixth year itself. And I know how you truly felt about … the dark lord. So the emotions had to be fabricated ones." She finished timidly.

"Ah, of course." He said.

"Well, now that you have the basic idea of how it appears, you can construct your own. First, you need to choose a setting; a background for the incident to happen in. It has to be a place you are familiar with; somewhere you wouldn't miss the details of. Then, you imagine the scene playing out before you. Don't forget to focus on the details of all the persons involved, which is why it is advisable to select the bare minimum. Concentrate on your emotions too; about how you perceive the proceedings."

Hermione was listening to his words with rapt attention. She nodded in understanding, when he finished.

"Now, I know that it is a lot to take in a single day. So, I'll suggest, you sleep on it. Practice on your own mindscape and then tomorrow we can give it a test." Mr. Prince finished.

* * *

That night, Hermione took out her phone and typed an e-mail for Mr. Prince. She argued to herself that it was for her own ease of mind over anything else.

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Grateful

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:02

 **To** : S. Prince

Sir,

After today's lessons, I was left wondering about the lingering effects the war had left on all of us involved. You sir, were involved in two of them. I can never even imagine what you have sacrificed for the sake of our lives. We, (and Harry agrees with my thoughts), wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for you and you have our heartfelt gratitude. I should've said this out aloud, but I know you probably wouldn't have let me finish my thank you before dismissing them. You did however, need to hear the truth.

I know that I saw a certain memory by mistake today, and I am smart enough to guess what followed after I left. To know that I was the reason, you had to suffer that horrible curse (because I know very well how that feels like), leaves me with the knowledge of how ignorant I was of the true depths of your role in protecting us all. You did such a commendable job of it, while the rest of us remained unaware of your efforts, much less thank you for it. On behalf of the numerous students whose life is much better because you took the brunt off of us, I thank you.

Also, I noticed your hesitation when you mentioned Dumbledore's death and I know that the last memories you've had of Hogwarts have been very distressing (to put it mildly). I want you to know that despite whatever things Harry had shouted at you, he doesn't blame you an ounce for Dumbledore's death, none of them does. Harry would tell you so himself if he knew that you were still alive, but I presume you have a good reason to keep your existence a secret and I don't intent to break the trust you've put in me (Not to mention a certain contract). I do hope you tell him yourself when you feel comfortable or he'll name one of his children after you; I wouldn't put it past him to do that.

I am sorry for writing a lengthy e-mail full of ramblings, but I know I wouldn't be able to sleep better if I didn't let you know. I know that it was probably a selfish thing to do, but these words are truly genuine. I can't even thank you enough for teaching me about the mind arts; it seems you have been a constant help to me all my life.

Forever in your debt,

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

After ten minutes, her phone buzzed. And she opened the reply with shaking hands.

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your Eloquence

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:13

 **To** : H. Granger

Miss Granger,

The respectful greeting at the start of your email had me confused for a moment. I was however, reminded of your always-lengthier-than-was-asked-for homework assignments when I saw the length of your email. That aside, I can only thank you for your kind words, which I consider quite seriously. You've had your fair share of the ugliness of the war too, so don't feel you are indebted to anyone.

I doubt Potter would go to the extremes of naming his child after me, but then you do know him much better than I do. I do appreciate your silence on my position, given how close you are to your friends.

I am however, alarmed at how good you are at reading someone's emotions and wonder whether teaching you Legillimency was a good idea. On a serious note, it has always been a pleasure teaching a student like you.

Please don't waste any more words on singing my praises, I am not the type of employer to give a raise for flattery.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Hermione couldn't help but smile at the reply. She would never have thought that her snarky old professor would turn out to be a decent conversationalist. But then, she had never imagined him to be living like a 'Prince' in the muggle world, had she?

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Your Sense of Humour

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:15

 **To** : S. Prince

Thank you for reading my email despite its length, much like you always did my assignments (I know since you used to circle out even the missing commas).

Even if Harry doesn't plan on naming his child after you, I could always plant the idea in his head. I can already imagine a little Potter, having your name!

I do however, like your new-found sense of humor. Do tell me what would I have to do, in order to get a raise from an employer like yourself?

Your employee

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

It was after she had hit send, that Hermione wondered if she had gone too far with her freedom. Soon, her phone buzzed.

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Implications

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:17

 **To** : H. Granger

You are more perceptive than I gave you credit for, Miss Granger. I have been complemented quite regularly for my sense of humor. It is you, who never had the fortune to witness it before.

Before I answer the question you've asked, I recommend you to read the last line of your previous email once very carefully.

Your employer

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Hermione quickly checked her last email. Once she understood what her boss had implied, she had to bury her head into her hands in embarrassment. She hastily typed out a reply.

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : My lack of perception

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:18

 **To** : S. Prince

I would've liked to take back my words, but since I can't do that I ask you to forgive my severe lack of perception. I didn't mean to imply any disrespect to you, and I am terribly sorry to continue testing your patience.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

As soon as her phone buzzed, Hermione opened the reply.

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your good fortune

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:20

 **To** : H. Granger

Now that was what I call a shining example for my dark sense of humor, Miss Granger. Don't worry, you are fortunate that your employer doesn't take advantage of every careless words his employees choose to use in his presence.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 _Dark sense of humor?_ And here, Hermione had almost gotten a heart attack!

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : 'Dark'

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:22

 **To** : S. Prince

That certainly wasn't humorous, never mind 'dark'. If you want to get rid of an employee, you should fire them instead of scaring them into a heart-attack. I really am thanking my good fortune right now for saving my life.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Fire Accidents

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:24

 **To** : H. Granger

I understand why your shield is made from fire, Miss Granger. However, I could never really understand how easily you Gryffindors get riled up at every little thing. I agree with you; the Sorting Hat did place you in the right House.

If your fiery temper gets your apartment in a fire accident, do remember to perform the Flame Freezing Charm before it gets out of hand.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Hermione rolled her eyes when she read the email.

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Opportunist Slytherins

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:26

 **To** : S. Prince

I doubt my temper would result into a fire accident; mainly because I don't really have a temper, much less a 'fiery' one.

I myself, have never understood how you Slytherins can use every little opportunity you get to your own benefit.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : My Excellent Memory

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:28

 **To** : H. Granger

I would advise a true Gryffindor like yourself to not bother pondering about the ways a Slytherin mind works. It would merely result in a troubling headache, nothing else.

I remember quite distinctly an incident in your third year, when you slapped a certain Draco Malfoy quite spectacularly. If that isn't a fiery temper, I wouldn't know what is!

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Hermione groaned. _How could he possibly know about that?_

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Sweet old memories

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:30

 **To** : S. Prince

I would be lying if I say that I regret anything about that incident. But that happened quite a while ago; you can't judge my temper solely based on a single incident. However, I do am curious about how you came to know about that particular incident?

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Occlumency prowess

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:32

 **To** : H. Granger

Would you believe me if I tell you that poor Draco had the incident on his mind for a whole week? I had been keeping out an eye for any whispers regarding Potter, yourself and Weasley those past few years. And that episode was simply too entertaining for me to resist; Draco hadn't mastered Occlumency when he was in third year.

On that note, have you been practicing your mindscape or simply wasting your time on the phone?

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Hermione sighed before typing out a reply.

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Demanding Teacher

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:33

 **To** : S. Prince

Please don't doubt my diligence, sir. I'll work on my mindscape and practice my Occlumency shield. You can test them during your lesson tomorrow.

Have a good night.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : For your own good

 **Date** : July 24 2012 21:35

 **To** : H. Granger

It is for your own good that I tell you to work on your Occlumency skills. I know you do realize their importance if I go by your 'diligent' progress. I'm looking forward to test your homework tomorrow, Miss Granger. Don't disappoint me.

Sleep well.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Hermione understood what he had meant in the email. That meant she had a long night ahead of her, trying to come up with a good enough mindscape for her teacher to grade her on.

* * *

 **Don't forget to suggest your ideas for the new title; I may decide to use one from your suggested options!**


	10. Temper Troubles

**IMPORTANT : I decided to change the title to "An Un'Official' Love Story". It previously used to be called as 'The Prince of Her Life'. So, guys don't be surprised, the story is still the same. **

**Thank you for your suggestions, all of you. All three of them were thoughtful. I liked 'The Prince and the Protege' but then decided to do away with the 'Prince' part.**

* * *

Thursday was another disappointment for Hermione's alter ego, Emma Sawyer. There was no further development on the case she was pursuing and she had even given Legillimency a thought, one time in her desperation. The day was put to a worse end when Ted had given her his phone number once again when she had told him she'd lost it and told her to call him 'anytime' if she needed his assistance. She had to force a smile at him, and it had taken her quite a lot of effort to not recreate the Draco Malfoy incident.

The moment Hermione entered Mr. Prince's office that day, she knew that he wasn't in a very good mood. When she tried to ask about what had happened, he had brushed her off saying it was something about 'company issues'. But, she did know enough of his infamous moods to anticipate a disastrous lesson ahead. And she was proven right.

Mr. Prince had begun by testing the mindscape Hermione had spent half of the night creating. He had completely tore apart the scene, pointing out the numerous flaws in it. He hadn't even spared the detail in the background portrait of the Hogwarts corridor she had constructed. Apparently, he had spent enough time stalking those corridors to remember every detail. Besides, he had criticized her choice of Hogwarts as the setting, saying it would be better to select a neutral place which had no history to go with it.

All in all, the lesson got worse as it progressed. Hermione had the feeling that she was being punished for something she was not even guilty of. But then, she had spent enough lessons with the ex-professor to know that he could never really keep his foul moods from affecting his teaching.

"I am very disappointed in your performance, Miss Granger. I expected quite a great deal from you." He exclaimed, after he had demolished her Occlumency shield by his brutal Legillimency attacks. _Did he really expect her to become an expert Occlumens in just three days?_

Hermione was almost gearing up for a witty comeback, but caught herself in time. Instead, she bowed her head and replied, "I am very sorry for letting you down, sir. I will try to do better in the next lesson."

For a moment, Mr. Prince had looked at her with an incredulous expression, before he broke into a chuckle. "That was almost Slytherin of you, Miss Granger."

"I did have the benefit of being familiar with you criticizing my work before, sir." Hermione replied, relieved that somehow the bad spell had passed.

"Hm."

"So what exactly is on your mind, sir? If you don't mind me asking."

"There's been a complication with one of the crucial deals the company is involved in. The other CEO is demanding a public declaration of our association, which will require me attending a very public party. Which further implies my face getting plastered on the front page of every muggle magazine available. I've tried very hard to keep myself out of limelight as much as possible, and now this." He told her, and Hermione felt his desperation in his voice.

"So, this company? Is this a no-maj company?" Hermione asked, a sudden idea forming in her mind.

"Yes. But what does that have to do with anything?" Mr. Prince inquired.

"Everything. So, you are worried that your face will be all over the American no-maj magazines, if the reporters get wind of you, right?"

"Yes. But I don't understand how that solves the problem. Getting my face plastered over the no-maj media is worse than the wizard media." Mr. Prince huffed.

"I get that. But what if we find a way so that you can attend the event without getting your face photographed?" Hermione smirked.

"I'm listening." Mr. Prince said, interested in where Hermione was going with this.

"The other company wants a social event to secure the deal, right? What if the party is a Masquerade themed one? You know, where your face is covered with a mask." Hermione explained, mimicking a mask.

"I do know what a Masquerade Ball is, Miss Granger. And I think you may have found an answer to my problem there somewhere." Mr. Prince offered, thinking over her suggestion.

"Well, you can always find a solution if you are willing to share the problem, Mr. Prince." Hermione took the chance to comment.

"I know what you are trying to imply there, Miss Granger. I did order my executive officers to try and find a way out of this. I should think about firing them." He reflected, leaning back on his chair.

Hermione let out a dramatic sigh. "And here I am, being rewarded with a lesson full of gruesome Legillimency attacks. Quite an employer you are, Mr. Prince."

The dark haired man looked at her in exasperation but Hermione could detect some fondness hidden there somewhere. "I am still your employer, Miss Granger. Do try and remember that before trying to annoy me."

Hermione put up her most innocent expression. "Me? Annoy _you_? I would never even dream of that, Mr. Prince."

"Oh please, your acting skills may have worked on Minerva, but they won't be working on me. Now, go and work more on your abysmal mindscape. Or do you need me to demolish it again for you?" He was smiling mischievously at her now.

"Fine. I'll take my leave then. Have fun planning your party, Mr. Prince." Hermione shot back.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me, Miss Granger?" came an amused question from Mr. Prince.

"I don't recall anything in my contract forbidding me to do that. I don't even know why I still act so childish sometimes." Hermione mused out loud before apparating out, leaving an even more amused Mr. Prince behind.

* * *

Hermione spent the rest of her evening, working on her Occlumency. Before she went to her bed, she checked her phone to find an email from Mr. Prince.

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : My good fortune

 **Date** : July 25 2012 19:01

 **To** : H. Granger

I am glad I did give you the job, Miss Granger. You've turned out to be a very capable employee. I feel I owe you an apology for my rude behavior earlier today.

I had always wondered how Potter and Weasley managed to stay alive all those months they spent as fugitives; now I know.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 _Wait, did he just apologize for being snarky during a lesson?_ Hermione smiled at the thought.

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : 'My' Good Fortune

 **Date** : July 25 2012 22:47

 **To** : S. Prince

I can safely assume I am the only student to have ever received an apology from you, none the less for your teaching methods. Too bad I can't gloat over it publicly! I do find your company particularly pleasant when you aren't being your snarky self.

I find myself asking what reason you would have to flatter me; I don't even give you your salary!

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your Good Fortune Indeed

 **Date** : July 25 2012 22:49

 **To** : H. Granger

I don't need to flatter anyone, Miss Granger. I was simply stating the obvious truth, but you are free to interpret it however you like.

Also, I am not usually snarky; I usually have a good reason for when I do act like one. Its getting late; don't waste your whole night working on your lessons. I'll know if you do.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Demanding Teacher

 **Date** : July 25 2012 22:51

 **To** : S. Prince

I do need to work hard if I have to maintain your exemplary standards. Are you having fun planning your party already?

Good night

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Getting my party planned

 **Date** : July 25 2012 22:52

 **To** : H. Granger

Were you fishing for another compliment there, Miss Granger? I do owe you for that brilliant idea. Also, may I remind you that I am the CEO of the company, so I have people who can plan my party for me. I don't waste my time on those ludicrous things anyways.

Sleep well; you'll also need your mind rested to do well in the Occlumency lessons.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Friday morning found Hermione taking the elevator to the twenty-first floor, the Manufacturing Department. She twirled her 'Intern' id in her hand absentmindedly while she watched her reflection on the elevator door. A woman having straight black hair, the perfect peachy skin, a lean body and ocean blue eyes was staring back at her. Four days of impersonating a stranger, and she had yet to get any of the evidence she had been looking for. _Perhaps, this wasn't really one of my better ideas!_ She thought, gloomily.

Hermione straightened her black pencil skirt, as she walked out of the elevator. And then she was greeted by her least favorite person in the building.

"Emma! There you are!" Ted exclaimed happily, when he saw her arrive. Hermione needn't use Legillimency when she could plainly see his eyes checking out her form.

"Hello, Ted! What's got you so excited today?" Hermione managed to ask sweetly.

"Oh, seeing you always gets me excited, Emma. But today, we are all going to have a little field trip! Actually, it's supposed to be a surprise visit, but then I always had the good graces of our manager. It'll be announced when we all go inside." Ted told her.

It was clear to Hermione that he was trying to impress her with his connections. Yet, it was interesting to know that the department had field trips. Also, Ted already had the inside information on what was supposed to be a surprise visit.

Before she had to turn her phone off, Hermione thought about informing Mr. Prince about this update, but she didn't have his phone number, just the email id. She typed up a quick email.

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Field trip

 **Date** : July 26 2012 08:57

 **To** : S. Prince

I think I'll definitely get some answers today. Could get late for the lesson. Going on a field trip with the department.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

"Who are you texting?" Ted asked when he saw her turning off her phone at his arrival. His face had crunched at the thought of her being with someone else.

"Ah, just a friend back from England. I was just going to turn it off now." Hermione faked a smile.

"Great, I think Mr. Cooper is going to announce about our trip soon." Ted said, clearly relieved.

Hermione followed him inside the working area and found the other engineers standing there with the surly looking manager.

"Now that _all_ of you are finally here." Here, he gave Hermione and Ted a glare before continuing. "We are going to go for a quality check outdoors. I don't think I need to tell you to do your work and check the quality of the products for a last time before they are sent over for their sale."

All of them were then led back downstairs where a company bus was waiting for them. A twenty minute bus ride later, they reached a warehouse, which had a big sign of 'Prince Pharmaceuticals' at the gate.

And there, she came face to face with the manager of the warehouse who turned out to be the same man who had interrogated her in the dark corridor that night.

"Jack Allen. And you must be the beautiful Emma, Ted's been talking so much about!" The burly man held out his hand uncomfortably, probably at going out of his character to be charming to her. _Ted's doing, no doubt._

Hermione took his hand, with no visible reluctance. "You and Ted must be very close then, Jack. You never told me about him before, Ted." She accused Ted, who shared a conspiratory glance with Jack.

The engineers were supposed to be checking the final products before they were sealed and shipped off. Emma, being the intern, was tasked by the manager to merely observe. She was quite happy with the arrangement, as it gave her the perfect opportunity to watch over her suspects.

Jack seemed to hover around Ted, Scott and the two other engineers who seemed to belong in their little group. He was the one arranging the boxes for them to test. The manager was doing nothing, as he usually did. By the lunch hour, Hermione was sure she had figured out how these men were carrying out their dirty work. Jack was the one smuggling illegally made products with the genuine stock and Mike and his cohorts gave their approvals to the added pile, thus sealing it with the company's authority.

At lunch, Hermione finally decided to put her stock of Veritaserum to use. She offered to get them the drinks from the cafeteria at lunch and added three drops each to all of their drinks.

"So, how are you finding New York, Emma? Not that I really care!" Jack was the first to speak. He himself felt surprised at his own words, while Ted gave him a mock punch. _So the Veritaserum has been modified to compel the subject to speak out the truth. Ingenious, Mr. Prince!_

"Quite pleasant. Thank you for asking anyway, Jack." Hermione replied, ignoring his last words.

"It would've been much more pleasant if you decided to accept my dinner invitation. Ah, I would've fucked you senseless afterwards if only you'd let me." Ted was the one who spoke next and immediately regretted it.

He tried to apologize but his next words made it worse. "Emma, I'm not at all sorry for what I have said, just for ruining my chances with you."

"It's okay, Ted. It happens. Let's forget about that and talk about something else. How did you and Jack meet?" Hermione asked, eager to learn everything while she can.

"Um, we were together in college. Although, Jack wasn't so good at engineering, I kept his company because he made up with his imposing muscles." Ted blurted out, earning a glare from Jack.

"Hm, so do you still remain informed of your work, now that you both work in the same company?" Hermione inquired.

This time, Jack beat Ted to the answer. "Yeah, we do. Not that I like him very much, it's all for the money. We are running our own business at the sidelines of the company, and we do make a hefty profit now."

Ted looked like he was about to murder Jack, while Jack looked horrified at what he had just revealed.

"So, how does this business go about, Ted?" Hermione turned her eyes at Ted now.

"It's all been my masterplan. Since, Jack and I had jobs at such convenient departments and well, the owner never does check up on us, we decided to earn some money for ourselves. Jack here has the access to all the rejected goods, which he slips in with the standard stock. All we have to do is approve the pile and the rejected goods become authentic. And now that I've recruited other engineers for the job, the number of extra products will increase further and so will our profit. Even if people do get side-effects from the medicines, the name of the company is going to be smeared. We aren't even going to get any trouble." Ted explained. The other three engineers now had a horrified as well as confused look on their faces.

"What have you done to the drinks? Who _are_ you exactly?" Mike asked, panicked.

Before Hermione could get to her purse where her wand was hidden, Jack had gripped her arms and was taking her towards the back of the warehouse. Hermione instantly regretted choosing the farthest table of the cafeteria. She had wanted to avoid any public eyes and now her own plan had backfired on her.

Hermione was harshly thrown at the rough floor of a deserted backyard. Five men had circled around her, their eyes fixated on her. _If only she could get to her wand somehow!_

"She looks so delicious lying there by herself!" Ted said, not ashamed of his words this time.

"Oh yeah, that she does!" another engineer had blurted out, clearly under the effects of the truth serum.

"Now, you start by telling us who exactly are you and who are you working for?" Jack asked, snatching up her 'Intern' id.

Hermione didn't bother with the acting this time, and just glared at the looming men.

"Do you think you can get out of this unscathed, if you don't comply with us?" Another man was laughing at her.

"I don't like repeating myself, Emma. Or whoever you are. Who are you working for?" Jack asked once again.

Hermione knew that she wasn't getting any other chance to get out of this mess. Suddenly, Mr. Prince's warning about the muggles ran across her mind. She concentrated on her mental shield, and the familiar fire brought her instant comfort.

She mustered up all her energy and muttered, "Accio wand!"

Her purse came flying at her side. Relieved at her wandless magic bout, she wasted no time in taking out her wand, while her assailants were distracted by the flying purse. She pointed her wand at them.

They started laughing at her action, not recognizing the wand for what it was.

"Do you really think you can attack us with that little stick, Emma? Be a doll and just answer Jack's questions and we can have some fun together after that. Come on, I've been working hard for you since the last four days!" Ted was saying.

"Little stick? Let me show you what this _little stick_ is capable of, then!" Hermione sprung back to her feet and shouted, "Incarcerous!"

In the next second, Ted and the three others were tied with ropes, unable to move. Then, Hermione turned to the frozen form of Jack.

Jack however, was quick to get over his shock and tried to pounce at Hermione, she quickly shot him with a 'Petrificus totalus'. The man crumpled down, hitting the floor hard.

"Who _are_ you?" Mike asked, utterly panicked.

"You don't need to remember that, do you?" Hermione raised her wand at him and muttered, 'Obliviate'. He looked hazed for a moment before succumbing to unconsciousness. She obliviated the other two insignificant pawns, before turning to Mike.

"No, no, no. What are you doing to us, _witch_?" Ted spat, struggling uselessly against the thick ropes that bound him.

"You couldn't be further away from the truth, Ted." Hermione laughed coldly and Ted looked at her in shock. _Oh yeah, the innocent unwitting Emma Sawyer persona was long gone!_ "You need to understand that you were willing to play with the lives of innocent people simply to satisfy your greed. You betrayed your employer without a single thought and never cared for his reputation, one that he has built with years of his hard work? Ready to face your judgment, Ted?"

"Oh, do get me out of these ropes and I'll give you a taste, you fucking witch!" Ted growled.

Hermione felt a sudden rage build inside her. This man was pathetic and so vile that his arrogance seemed to boil her blood.

"Fine. Have it your way, then." Hermione said bitterly and removed the binds from him.

Then, instead of facing her, Ted began running away from her. _Such a coward!_

"Sorry Ted, but you do have to pay for your sins! Crucio!" Hermione muttered.

Ted fell down to his knees as soon as the spell had hit him and was now crying out in agony. Hermione felt a sudden thrill down her spine at his pain, and as soon as the spell was lifted, the thrill was gone. She despaired at the loss and just wanted to experience it again.

Ted was still writhing at the floor, and Hermione had raised her wand once again, " _Crucio_!"

The euphoria was back again and Hermione was revelling in it. It was broken merely a few seconds later by a deep, rich voice, "That'll be enough, Miss Granger!"

Hermione opened her eyes to find a pair of onyx eyes on her, bringing her back to the reality.

* * *

 **Thoughts?...**


	11. A Friendly Hand

**Okay, so some of you weren't happy about Hermione using the Cruciatus Curse. Sorry about that. (Well, not really! *wink) Hopefully this chapter will explain some things better. One guest reviewer, did guess the reason to some extent. Applauses, from me.**

 ** **Some of you feel the story is similar to the Fifty Shades book. I'll be lying if I denied that the book was what inspired me for the story in the first place. Although, Severus isn't going to turn Christian Grey on Hermione, and by that I mean there won't be any Dom/Sub or BDSM parts involved here.****

* * *

Her first thoughts were, _What have I done?_

Hermione looked at her trembling hand, which was still holding her vine wood wand. The panic was settling in now, and she felt disoriented.

"What have I done? What's happened to me?" Hermione said, aloud this time, looking at the shaking form of Ted. Only his back was visible to her, and yet she could tell that he was still suffering from the effects of the Cruciatus Curse.

Mr. Prince had bent down at Ted's side, and had his wand pointed at him. After a minute, he turned to her again.

 _What was she going to do now? How could she possibly explain this? Exactly what had possessed her to use the Unforgivable in the first place?_

Hermione was expecting a condescending lecture and even some angry and disappointed remarks, certainly not the quiet soothing tone directed at her.

"Easy, Miss Granger. My aurors will be here momentarily to take care of this problem." Mr. Prince stated.

"What?" Hermione raised her brow in confusion, he misread her.

"My security personnel contains some highly trained aurors, Miss Granger. They can take care of the situation easily." He pointed to the unconscious forms of the men.

"How?… I meant, how can you be so calm about all this? After what I've just done?" Hermione managed to ask, almost hysterically.

"We should talk about this elsewhere." Mr. Prince stated as he accioed her purse, before taking her arm and apparating with her.

When Hermione's feet hit the floor again, she stumbled into the arms of Mr. Prince. He helped her into a chair, and summoned a potion vial.

"Here, drink this, Miss Granger. It is a Calming Draught. It'll help you recover." He said, comfortingly.

After drinking the potion, Hermione felt a bit clearer. Still, her guilt was weighing down on her. "How could I do that? I can not even believe I did..."

"There is no need to panic, Miss Granger. You are quite now safe."

" _Safe_? I should probably be bound and kept confided in a prison. I lost control. I totally lost my control!" Hermione argued.

"That wasn't an unnatural thing to happen, Miss Granger. You are being too hard on yourself!"

"Too _hard_! I performed the _Cruciatus Curse_ on an unarmed muggle, sir. I do know what is required for the curse to take effect: _intention._ In fact, I was _reveling_ in his pain. I tortured him for my own pleasure! I can't even..." Hermione broke down.

She felt a strong arm comforting her and she leaned into her boss's shoulder, crying her eyes out. He stiffened at the sudden closeness but didn't pull away. She felt his other hand move hesitantly over her hair. All the while she cried, she felt his hand caressing her head gently.

Hermione leaned out of the half embrace and looked guiltily over his ruined black shirt. "Sorry about that." She said, meekly.

"Don't worry about my shirt, I have plenty of them around, Miss Granger." Mr. Prince assured her. She even detected some relief in his voice.

After a moment, Hermione composed herself enough to ask hesitantly, "Do you… um, do you know why that happened?"

"Tell me, Miss Granger. How much sleep have you been getting in the last few days?" Mr. Prince demanded.

Hermione looked away sheepishly at being caught. She had hardly slept for the last two days. Last night, she'd been practicing mindscapes for hours.

"I thought so. What have I been telling you about the importance of resting your mind? You can be incredibly thick sometimes, Miss Granger. Your well being is far more important than any lesson or any of those stealing employees. Do you understand?" Mr. Prince reprimanded, and then sighed.

"That, Miss Granger, was a case of mental and emotional exhaustion. From what I can tell, you have been practicing Occlumency without giving proper rest to your mind, much needed for it to recover. In fact, I myself am guilty for being too hard on you during yesterday's lesson. I sincerely apologize for that." He looked truly apologetic.

"You must've been concentrating on your mental shield when you lost control, am I correct?" At Hermione's nod, he continued.

"The mind arts are a very complex part of magic, not to be taken lightly in any case. If you don't take proper precautions while practicing them, in extreme situations, you may even lose your sanity. I'm sure you've read all about that in the books you read on the subject. As for the dark curses, they provide a channel of release for an emotionally deprived mind. I am bound to think you have been keeping your emotions buried inside your mind for too long. Of course, I should be the last person to tell you about dealing with your emotions in the right way."

"The addictive euphoria which you probably have experienced was a direct result of that. It was what had turned me towards the Dark Arts in the first place, Miss Granger and I would advise you not to follow that path."

Hermione shivered at the implication. She had no desire to be practicing dark curses, much less deriving pleasure from torturing someone. She was relieved at the explanation, none the less.

"Thank you for explaining that to me, Mr. Prince."

Hermione merely stared at the white marbled floor.

"Miss Granger, look at me. Your health is more important than any of this. Do. You. Understand?"

Hermione felt like a schoolgirl getting rebuked again. "Yes, sir."

"Very good. Today is Friday, you have the next two days off before you are required to return to your usual work. If you want any more time, that can be arranged too."

Hermione had opened her mouth to argue, before Mr. Prince had shut her off.

"Tell me, Miss Granger. How long has it been since you spent some time with your friends?"

"Um.."

"You have been through so much in your short life already. Surely, you of all people understand the importance of friends in your life. They are the only ones who can help you ease your emotional state." Mr. Prince explained.

Hermione thought about how best to answer this. She went with the truth. "It's been five years since the war, sir. And many things have changed since then. My friends and me have grown up to become completely different individuals than we were as children. I will admit that I have some trouble concerning my emotional state, but it's nothing that won't heal with time. Surely, yours healed the same way."

Mr. Prince closed his eyes at her words. Hermione couldn't really tell what had caused him to do that.

"When there is an easy way available, why would you intentionally choose the harder one?" He sighed.

Hermione felt like she was being a bit obstinate, concerning what the man had done for her. "I _am_ making some good friends here, Mr. Prince. You really don't need to worry about me. I feel bad for monopolizing so much of your time already."

He looked at her skeptically. "Good to hear about your new friends, Miss Granger. I hope you've made better choices this time. As for my own time, let me decide how I choose to spend it."

Mr. Prince moved back to his own chair, and said "You should go and rest now, Miss Granger. And try to connect with your friends. When you are feeling better, you can give me your report about your assignment. And one more thing, _NO_ Occlumency practice till I tell you to."

Hermione nodded her head in submission, and apparated back to her apartment. That night, she cried herself to sleep.

She felt a bit light headed when she woke up the next day. It was almost noon. After a hasty breakfast, she thought about talking to Lizzy, but then recalled that she would be at work. Then, hesitantly she dialed Harry's number.

"Hermione?" came Harry's eager voice.

"Harry! It's so good to hear your voice." Hermione replied, quite truthfully.

"I miss you too, 'Mione."

"Is that why you always keep the phone on you?"

"Well, you know Ginny. She doesn't really get how the smartphones work!"

"Hah, have you even tried to teach her?"

"Can you really imagine _me_ teaching _her_ anything?"

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at his words. It was true enough, Ginny did always boss Harry around.

"So, everything good in the States there, 'Mione?"

Hermione stiffened at that. "Um yeah. I think I may be losing my mind though."

Harry thought she had been joking, because he chuckled and said, "Your mind is too precious to be lost, 'Mione. But seriously, are you alright?"

"Honestly, I don't even know."

"I know how that feels like. I feel really bad about what happened with Ron, you know. You didn't need to deal with all of that on your own."

 _Ah, yes. The heart break. The betrayal. But then, she had never really dealt with that. She had simply put it behind her, just like everything else._

"'Mione, are you there?" Harry's voice brought her back to the present.

"Yeah, yeah. I was just caught up in the past, I guess."

"You have to let that go now. You deserve so much better than that git, you know."

"So you are finally taking my side?"

"I never took any side when I needed to, I guess. I didn't want to lose my only two best friends, and I ended up losing both of them."

"Wait, what happened to Ron?"

"Not _to_ him, exactly. It's just that he isn't the same Ron that was once my best friend, you know. Sometimes, I look at him and have trouble even recognizing him." Harry sounded sad.

After a beat of silence, Hermione said, "I was heart broken at the time. When I caught Ron cheating on me; it just sprung up on me like a nightmare. I never talked about it with anyone."

"I blamed myself first. That maybe I was being too uptight with him, that it was somehow my fault. And then, he comes and says that he never wanted to date me in the first place. That it was his mother's wish to include me as a family member that he had to _endure_ this drama of relationship. He said that I was never for any relationship..." And she broke down into sobs.

Harry waited for her sobs to subside, before he spoke. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I am so sorry. That was all utter bullshit Ron told you. In fact, you were always so much better than him that it probably made him feel inferior, not unlike his resentment of my fame. Don't believe his words, 'Mione. You know they aren't true at all."

Hermione felt a bit warmed at Harry's words.

"You know, even Molly is fed up of Ron's antics by now. And she gave him an earful when she heard about your breakup, and also for using her as an excuse. She does remember you fondly, even now."

Hermione's heart warmed at that. Mrs. Weasley may have been overprotective of her children but she had come to include Harry and her as her own over all those years.

"So, it is _Molly_ now, is it Harry?"

"Huh, you had to catch that, didn't you? Yes, she has forced me to call her _Molly_ now. I still feel somewhat uncomfortable with it though."

Hermione chuckled, which came out as a dry cough.

"Well, don't you have some Auror duties to attend to or are you just going to waste your time talking to me for hours?"

"I do enjoy some perks of being the _Savior_ , Hermione!" Harry laughed.

"You always hated being called that, didn't you?"

"I still do. All that for killing a man!"

"Do you feel bad? For killing him?"

"I did for some time. But then, if I hadn't, he would've definitely killed me and worse, everyone I cared about. So, no. I don't feel bad for wiping him out from existence."

"Such wise words, coming from you, Harry! _"_

"Hey, that almost sounded like Snape! But, he would've called me 'Potter', not 'Harry'." Harry's voice turned sad.

"So Harry, the esteemed Auror! How's your work going?" Hermione decided to change the subject.

"Nothing much interesting. How's yours? You're working in a muggle company right?"

"Well, both muggle and magical! And yeah, I'm managing all right."

"Is there something the matter, 'Mione? You know you can tell me and we can sort it out together. Just like old times." Harry's voice had turned hopeful.

"Harry, everything's fine. You don't need to worry about me. You have enough on your plate already."

"Hermione please. I know I've never been quick to understand emotional things but I do know you. And I can tell by your voice that something is bothering you. Now, do I need to arrange an international portkey to come visit you?"

Hermione smiled at the sincerity in his words. "You could do that?"

"Well, didn't I tell you being a Savior means having some benefits? The question is, do I need one?"

"No. Of course, not." Even to herself, Hermione's words sounded reluctant.

"Well, if you say so. And please, don't hesitate to call me anytime you want. Even in the middle of the night. Though, Ginny would probably come over there and hex you for that!"

And they shared a laugh one last time, before disconnecting the call.

There was a new e-mail in her phone. It might've arrived while she was talking to Harry.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Inquiring about your health

 **Date** : July 28 2012 11:59

 **To** : H. Granger

I hope you took my advice this time, Miss Granger. If you didn't, remember that I am responsible for paying you your salary.

If you are well rested by tomorrow, and only if you feel comfortable enough, you can apparate by my office tomorrow at 5.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

She typed up a reply.

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : 'Sweet' of you to care

 **Date** : July 28 2012 12:15

 **To** : S. Prince

It's really sweet of you to care so much about my well-being (in case you missed the subject).

And yes, I did do exactly everything you ordered me to do. Please don't withhold my salary!

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

There was no reply. Hermione figured he might've been busy at his office.

That evening, she called Lizzy who was only too happy to invite her to her house that night.

"There is something changed with you. And I can't just place my finger on it yet!" Lizzy had exclaimed after they had spent an hour making dinner together.

Hermione was confused at first, but soon her lips turned into a smirk. "Can't read my thoughts now, can you Lizzy?"

"Yeah. That's it!" If Hermione had expected an outburst or even dissatisfaction from her friend, she was disappointed.

Instead Lizzy was happy. She had wrapped her arms around her, and excitedly exclaimed, "Finally! I have a friend who doesn't cause me a constant headache!"

Hermione rolled her eyes but returned her hug anyway.

After they were done eating, Lizzy took out some wine. Hermione then told her about some of her past. She had started crying by the time she explained about what had happened with her parents. Lizzy had listened to all of her story patiently and comforted her. Hermione ended up spending the night on Lizzy's floor where they had performed a Cushioning Charm.

The next morning, Hermione woke up to the sound of her phone. She wondered sleepily who had decided to call her at this hour. It was Harry.

"Hello." She said, groggily.

"Hey, Hermione. Woke you up nice and early on a Sunday, didn't I?" He didn't sound regretful at all, rather oddly cheery.

"It's alright. So, what happened?"

"Well, the thing is. I don't know your address."

"What?"

"I am in New York, 'Mione. And I need you to tell me your address so that I can come and meet you. It's Sunday and I know it's your day off."

Hermione was stunned into silence.

"'Mione, you there?"

"Yeah. You came here, Harry?" She was wide awake now.

"Of course, I thought it was about time I apologized to you. In person." He answered meekly.

"Okay. Where are you now?"

"MACUSA headquarters. You know the address, right?"

"Of course, just wait for five to ten minutes, okay? I'll be there."

Hermione still couldn't believe that Harry had come all the way here, simply to meet her. She explained to a sleepy Lizzy why she had to leave and she hastily apparated to her own apartment to get ready.

Harry looked mostly like he was when she had last seen her. Except, he had gained some weight, and some muscles, making him look a bit older. Auror training had done him some good, it was bound to since he did take his training seriously unlike Ron.

Hermione apparated her friend to her apartment and showed him her place.

"It's not much. But then, I live alone and it's only been about two months since I got here." She explained about the bare walls of her flat.

"Not that I have any right to tell you, but you seem to have forgotten how to live. But certainly not how to read." Harry said, eyeing the books lying around her couch.

"I'll make some tea." Hermione said.

"Hey, don't bother for me. I've only taken a portkey and I don't think my stomach can handle anything right now."

"Relax, Harry. I was making tea for myself. You only just woke me up straight from my bed moments ago." Hermione teased before going over to her kitchen.

When she was back with her tea, she found Harry reading one of her books.

"Occlumency? Never got the hang of it when Snape tried to teach me!" Harry exclaimed.

Hermione felt suddenly guilty for having to keep the fact that he was still alive to herself, but then it wasn't really her secret to share.

"Yes, I had been reading up on it. One of my friends here, is a natural Legillimens."

"Wow, that must be… well, not too good for the rest of you, I think?" Harry seemed confused.

"It's not bad, really. Lizzy is a very good person at heart, she herself feels burdened by her capability sometimes. She kind of, reminds me of Luna. Well, except her crazy imaginary creatures."

Both of them were then lost in reminiscing about their good old memories.

"So, are you going to show me around New York or are we going to stay here all day?" Harry asked during the evening.

"Well, that depends on how much time do you have?" Hermione asked.

"I… I wasn't exactly sure if I could take up so much of your time and since I was coming here totally unanncounced…" Harry began.

"Harry. How much time?" Hermione interrupted his mutterings.

"I'll be leaving tonight. I know, I'm sorry. I should've stayed longer. But then I thought you'd have to go for your work tomorrow and all..."

"Harry? Harry, it is alright. And I do have to go to work tomorrow. You did come all the way here for me, and that's what matters." Hermione replied.

They spent the evening enjoying a little picnic in the Central Park, talking about what was happening in their lives and also about what had happened during the last three years they had lost contact.

"Shit." Hermione muttered, when she heard the familiar buzz of her phone.

"Is there some thing wrong, 'Mione?" Harry asked.

Hermione was busy reading the e-mail she had just received.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Forgetful Employees

 **Date** : July 29 2012 17:27

 **To** : H. Granger

I'm assuming here, that you forgot about our scheduled meeting this evening. Just this once, I am willing to overlook your forgetfulness. But do remember, I am not a patient man, and I detest waiting.

Write back a reply as soon as you can. If I don't hear from you within an hour, I'll have to send my aurors to check on you, even if you are merely sleeping. I still can't think of a proper reason for _you_ to forget about something like this.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _Bad, but then. It could've been much worse!_

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : Extremely Apologetic Employee

 **Date** : July 29 2012 17:28

 **To** : S. Prince

I am really very sorry for having overlooked our appointment today evening, and more so for testing your patience.

Harry decided to drop by for a surprise visit today, and I lost track of time. I'll make sure never to repeat this mistake again.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Trust Potter to be the reason

 **Date** : July 29 2012 17:30

 **To** : H. Granger

I'm happy that Potter decided to visit, Miss Granger. It will be good for you to spend some time with him. I apologize for interrupting your pleasant evening. We can meet at the same time tomorrow.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Hermione couldn't help but smile in relief. Well, the man was renowned for his temper, wasn't he?

"So, who was it that's got you so happy, 'Mione?" Harry teased.

"What? It's not what you're thinking, Harry!" Hermione shot back. _That was just_ _so_ _i_ _nappropriate_ _in so many ways!_

"Hey, I'm merely stating my observation, here! So, care to share what just happened?" Harry asked.

"Just that I forgot about the appointment I had with my boss today. All thanks to you!" She glared at him.

"So, it was your _boss_ or are you trying to hide something or _someone_ from me, 'Mione?" He raised his brow.

Hermione smacked him on the head, playfully.

"So, was your boss mad at you for missing the appointment?" Harry asked, suddenly turning serious.

"No, he was just concerned. It's out of my character to forget these things, so." Hermione explained.

"Ooh." Harry sounded as if he had hit some jackpot. "Two things, 'Mione. One, it's a _he._ And second and more importantly, he knows you enough to be _concerned_ when you don't show up on time. I think this time you finally made the right choice. My Auror training says so. Trust me, bosses are _usually_ angry when you don't show up unless you are a 'Savior' or they really like you."

" _Harry_ , he's my boss! Shut up now, before I start hexing you, Auror or not." Hermione threatened, but couldn't stop his sniggers.

"Oh come on, that's a lame excuse and you know it. Besides, I know you. You would never be satisfied by the boys your age, they would eventually bore you."

Finally, he yielded under her glare and sighed, "Fine, fine. I won't say anything else."

Harry took the portkey back to the British Ministry of Magic that very night. But, somehow spending just a day with him had filled Hermione with joy and a positive energy.

* * *

 **Always happy to read about your opinions... Go on, write them!**


	12. An Invitation

When Hermione went to her usual work on Monday, she felt as if she had been away for a month rather than a week. She was greeted by her colleagues who were all excited about her joining them again. The manager, Miss Harris remained stern as ever.

"Now that your vacation is over, Miss Granger; I hope you'll have no trouble getting back to your work again. I can't imagine how your leave was approved in the first place. All of you, get back to your workspaces now." She said, reminding Hermione how much she disliked her voice.

It was oddly satisfying to be back at her _own_ work again. Hermione had missed this, the pleasure of doing something academic again, something that challenged her intelligent mind. She looked at the sheet detailing her upcoming work with excitement and hurried over to her experiment.

"Looks like someone is enjoying her work again!" Lizzy commented from her own table.

Hermione smiled. "I know it sounds weird, but I have missed this."

"Somehow I get the feeling that you didn't really have a good time back at your home."

Lizzy gave a knowing smile at Hermione's faltered smile. She didn't comment further on the topic, and Hermione was grateful for that. She wasn't comfortable with all of this lying to the people who obviously trusted in her and saw her as a friend.

Lunch was an hour full of conversations about what had happened in Hermione's absence.

"There was a scam going on in the Manufacturing department, they were apprehended last week. I can't believe you missed that!" Dylan started.

"Yeah, it was a spectacle. Mr. Prince was furious, they're saying. They were all sent into the no-maj police custody." Jessica finished.

"It isn't really surprising though, seeing as they were no-majs. You can never really trust a no-maj completely." Dylan commented.

Before Hermione could protest, Andrew beat her to it. "You can't really judge the entire community by the actions of a few individuals, Dylan."

"Yeah, Andrew is right." Hermione said, earning a smile from the boy.

"Well, let's just talk about how good it is to have Granger here back with us now." Tyler said, trying to change the subject. _Subtle there, Ty!_

"Yeah, these two have been lamenting about you every single day." Jessica said, pointing at Dylan and Lizzy.

"Hey, I was concerned about her well being, she did go to a different continent there." Dylan said.

"Yeah, of course." Andrew rolled his eyes.

"Well, Drew here, was concerned too." Lizzy said, putting an arm around the guy.

Jessica looked surprised but Tyler and Dylan were having knowing smirks.

"Thank you then, Andrew. As you can see, you needn't have worried." Hermione said.

"Hey, how come _I_ never got a thank you?" Dylan looked at her, offended.

"Oh, didn't you? Well, thank you Dylan." Hermione humored him.

The day was over soon enough and Hermione had the rescheduled appointment with Mr. Prince. She told them to leave before her and made an excuse about having some documents verified regarding her leave.

This time, she was asked a different question when she reached the reception desk at the top floor.

"Are you Miss Granger?" Karen enquired as soon as she had reached the desk.

"Yes."

"Mr. Prince is waiting for you in his office." She said, and led her to the now familiar office.

"Miss Granger, please have a seat." Mr. Prince began and Hermione sat down obediently.

"I heard about what happened with the Manufacturing department. You already fired them." Hermione stated.

"Yes, I did. They couldn't be allowed to stay here any longer, after all they had done. Their memory has been efficiently wiped, and they won't remember … the incident." He provided.

 _That doesn't erase 'the incident' from my mind. It did happen, afterall._

"Okay." was all Hermione said aloud.

"How's your health, Miss Granger? Did you get enough rest?" He asked, politely.

"Yes, I'm fine. Talking to my friends really helped." She told him.

"I hope your day with Potter went well?" He said, probably to make her comfortable again.

"Yes, it did. It was nice to see him after all this time." Hermione said, honestly.

"I'm sure two months aren't really _that_ much time." He drawled.

"Actually, we met after three years."

He raised a brow at her words, but did not question her any further.

"I didn't tell him anything about you, Mr. Prince." Hermione said, just in case.

"I know. Or he would have been here with you right now." He smirked.

"You do know him well, sir."

"Indeed, I _did_ watch over you three looking for trouble for far too many years." Mr. Prince said, sarcasm dripping over his words.

"Well, as Harry used to say, 'We never looked for trouble, trouble always found _us_.'" Hermione retorted.

"Of course, like the troll in the girls' bathroom. I knew you were lying that day, Miss Granger." He said, smugly.

Hermione looked at the man in surprise. _Of course, he did!_

He appeared triumphant at her reaction. "So, Potter _did_ have a hand in that, I was right all this time."

 _Huh, not exactly!_

"You were wrong, sir. About Harry. I _did_ lie that day. However, Harry didn't have a hand in any of that. In fact, if he hadn't come there in time and even dragged Ron with him that day, I would probably have died right there."

It was now Hermione's turn to smirk.

"And why were _you_ there in the first place?" He questioned, his expressions closed.

"I didn't know about the troll yet. I never went to the dinner that night. I had been crying inside the washroom over something Ron said to insult me; I was there since that afternoon. Neville had told Harry about me at the dinner and he was the only one to think of me when Professor Quirrell announced about the troll." Hermione explained.

"Hm." was all he had to say.

"Well, if the matter with the … other department was already solved, what is the purpose for this meeting?" Hermione asked after a while.

"To inquire about your health, of course. And there's one other matter." He said, in a conspiratory tone. "The idea you gave about the party is already in the planning stage. And since I don't have a partner yet… "

"I know someone!" Hermione had spoken without having thought it through.

This earned a dubious glance from Mr. Prince. "What?"

"I know someone who can be your partner for the event." She elaborated.

"And who might that be, Miss Granger?" the question came, incredulous.

"Miss Harris." Hermione said, thinking how much fun it would be if he actually took her with him.

"Your manager?" And Hermione immediately knew that she had made a mistake, judging by the tone of his voice. "She doesn't have a single decent thought in her mind and doesn't even care projecting them. I can't even be in the vicinity of that woman for too long, and you are suggesting I invite her to spend an evening with me intentionally. Thank you very much."

Hermione only had a guilty smile in return. _Of course, he already knew about Miss Harris's obsession!_

"Don't think I won't realize where you are going with that, Miss Granger." He said, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, I think there'll be enough women who'd die to go with you to the event." Hermione said, not understanding what the problem was.

"Yes, but I won't really enjoy their company. And further, I don't want to ruin my evening, Miss Granger. Rather the opposite. Besides, you never let me finish what I wanted to say." He accused.

Hermione just pursed her lips.

"I was going to suggest that a social event like this will be a nice little diversion from your everyday life. And perhaps, you could accompany me to the party coming Sunday?"

Hermione didn't know what to say for a moment. But then, she thought of an excuse.

"Didn't you say the very reason you wanted to avoid the party was to avoid the limelight? What would others say if you decide to go with one of your employees?"

"You have provided the solution yourself, Miss Granger. Its a masquerade ball. Nobody else will know about your identity, I'll take care of that. Besides, I thought a party will take your mind off of things and I can also have some pleasant company for a change." He replied.

Hermione thought about it for a bit. Her rational mind was rooting against the idea.

"I'll not coerce you into accompanying me if you don't want to, Miss Granger. You have the option to decline." He said, after Hermione had gone silent.

"No. I mean, okay. I'll come with you, Mr. Prince." _Wait, why did I just agree?_

"Splendid, Miss Granger. I think the party is going to be this Sunday evening. I'll send you the copy of the invitation in an email." He said.

After Hermione had come back to her house, she went over what she had just agreed to. It sounded like a date, with her boss no else! But what had he called it, 'a pleasant company'; well, she could do with that. Besides, what did she have to lose, nobody would even realize it was her. More importantly, she had already agreed.

She did get an email with the invitation attached to it. It was mostly filled with the subject of the celebration, which was a partnership deal between Prince Pharmaceuticals and Caffery Ltd. It was rather too high profile for her, but then she just shrugged it off.

The next day, Hermione came home to find a large life sized parcel waiting for her. It seemed Mr. Prince had taken care of selecting a dress for her. _Did he do it himself? No, of course not! Must've ordered his minions._

It was a black floor length ball gown, so beautiful that it made her feel insignificant. The dress was sleeveless with a V-neck, made of intricate black applique work above the waist and black tulle fabric flowing over a white bodice down a slender waistline. Hermione had trouble even touching the dress, it was almost like a dream.

The explanation was given in his next email.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your recent parcel

 **Date** : July 31 2012 17:47

 **To** : H. Granger

I hope you have received a parcel by now. It contains a dress for you to wear at the Sunday's event. I asked Karen and Nancy to select the requisite outfit and hope they have met your expectations. Please accept the dress as a gift from me since I was the one who sprung up this invitation in the first place.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _So, it was his way to make up for it? Good that I liked the dress, anyway. It's supposed to be Harry's birthday today and here I am, getting a gift!_

* * *

 **From** : H. Granger

 **Subject** : My Recent Parcel

 **Date** : July 31 2012 17:49

 **To** : S. Prince

I like the dress; your secretaries have a great taste. I am however uncomfortable at the price tag. But then, it _is_ as you said, your party, so I'll have to accommodate accordingly. It was nice of you to think about this in the first place.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

The rest of the week passed in a flurry until finally Saturday arrived. Hermione hadn't given the party much thought now that the dress was already sorted out. The party didn't include the office employees so there wasn't any talk about that at her workplace either. Hermione had decided she'd concentrate on her work for now and think about the event when the weekend arrived.

Saturday after work, the group decided to have a drink at their usual hangout place 'Blues'.

Jessica was the one who first mentioned about the upcoming party.

"Do you guys know, there is going to be a big party at Lincoln Center tomorrow night? And guess, who is hosting?" Jessica began. _Trust Jessica Hall to know about every gossip there is !_

Hermione didn't need to answer, because seconds later Jessica herself was telling them excitedly.

"Mr. Prince. Our Boss!"

"Wow. It is rather strange for him to be going to a public event, much less hosting it." Tyler commented.

"Lincoln Center! Wow! That's an impressive place!" Lizzy agreed.

"Whatever, dude! I wish I could attend. Think about how grand it's going to be." Dylan chirped in.

"Yeah, it'll be quite a party. And all the eminent businessmen are being invited there, too." Jessica sighed.

"Hey, earth to Jessica! Let's just enjoy _this_ party, shall we?" Lizzy said.

"Yeah. A party won't exactly be enjoyable if you don't have pleasurable company!" Andrew said.

"If you don't call the most successful people in the town a pleasurable company, then I don't know dude!" Dylan smirked.

"I believe I am in pleasurable company right now, what do you say Hermione?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah, of course." She answered, finally breaking her silence.

Finally, it dawned on Hermione that she was going to attend one of the biggest parties of the city and that she wasn't really prepared for it. She thought about not attending at all, but then she couldn't suddenly abandon Mr. Prince at the last minute.

"What's up with you, Hermione? You seem a bit off." Lizzy commented once the rest of the group had gone to get the drinks.

"It's nothing, really." Hermione told her.

"Is it about your ex-boyfriend?" Lizzy asked, hesitantly.

"What? No. It's not that." Hermione replied, rather quickly.

"You know you can come to me with anything, right?" Lizzy told her.

Hermione nodded in gratitude, and soon the rest of the group was back, talking about some big event being hosted at MACUSA.

At last, on Sunday morning, Hermione decided to call over Lizzy for help.

"Wow, so you are saying you have been invited to the party Jessica was so raving about yesterday?" Lizzy asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, but now I am panicked. I don't know how I'll manage." Hermione confided.

"Well, the first thing is, do you have a dress?" Lizzy asked, turning all business like.

"Yeah, here." Hermione went to fetch the parcel.

"Wow. That's a Chanel gown there. It's so amazing." Lizzy exclaimed, examining the dress through wide eyes.

"Yeah, but I don't even have a pair of shoes to go with it!" Hermione cried.

"I think I can think about something. I'll be right back." Lizzy muttered before apparating away.

She appeared a moment later, carrying a box. She opened it, to reveal a pair of black heels.

"Prada shoes. Will go nicely with this dress, after adjusting them to your feet size, of course." Lizzy proclaimed.

"Lizzy, I can't..." Hermione couldn't finish her sentence.

"No 'can't' for today, Hermione. You deserve to enjoy the party. After all, how many times does one get invited to one like this! Now be quiet, and let me handle this." Lizzy declared, and she set out to work on Hermione's nails immediately afterwards.

That evening, Hermione was led to face the full length conjured mirror after Lizzy had spent a full hour, on her hair and then her makeup.

"Wow, you did a great job, Lizzy! I don't even know how to thank you." Hermione whispered, looking at the completely different reflection of an elegant woman, gazing back at her.

Her hair had been elaborately made into a glamorous bun, two loose curls left at the either side of her face, framing her face. Her lips were a beautiful red colour and her make up, especially her eyes were flawlessly done. All in all, she couldn't find a fault in her appearance.

"There's still one thing missing." Lizzy said, in a critical voice.

At Hermione's confused look, she explained, "Accessories."

"I think I have something." Hermione said, and she summoned a box from her bedroom.

It was the only piece of diamond earrings she owned. It had been a gift from her parents at her seventeenth birthday; and it was very special to her.

"Those'll work perfectly!" Lizzy said, excitedly putting them on her.

Hermione looked at her reflection again; the diamonds did enhance her appearance twofold.

 _It's not that anyone will be looking at my face much, it's a masquerade ball afterall! Well, except Mr. Prince. I hope I am adequately dressed._

Then she thanked Lizzy profusely for her help.

"Hey, I'm just happy to help. You look really beautiful tonight, when is it that you have to leave?" Lizzy inquired.

"Seven."

"Huh. So, who's the lucky guy you are going with?" Lizzy asked.

"Erm,… It's just an acquaintance."

"Hmm, I understand. I won't grill you over it, don't worry." Lizzy said.

"Thank you." Hermione croaked out, her voice full of emotion.

"Hey, don't you go about ruining my magnificent work! In fact, I'll just put a statis charm on your make-up. You'll stay exactly like this for the whole night." Lizzy said, proudly.

"Oh dear, even from the back you look incredibly sexy!" She complimented, making Hermione feel a bit flushed.

"I don't know what I would've done without you!" Hermione told her, quite honestly.

"Probably freaked out! Now, go! It's seven already." Lizzy hurried after her.

"Okay." _Urgh, I'll just have to keep picking up the dress when I walk, so comfortable!_

* * *

 **So, there's a party to look forward to! I'm really excited, are you?**


	13. Masquerade

**I know you've been anticipating this chapter so I'll leave my notes for the end of the chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Hermione took a deep breath and apparated to Mr. Prince's office.

"Right on time, Miss-" Mr. Prince had stopped in his address when he saw Hermione.

 _A speechless Mr. Prince! This has to be the best compliment ever!_

The man himself was dressed in a luxurious fitting black tuxedo, but his usual black shirt was replaced by a white dress shirt. He looked impeccably handsome.

Hermione delicately cleared her throat, and said, "Since I were to accompany you, I had to look the part."

Mr. Prince gave her an approving smile and said, "You flatter me, Miss Granger. I am no match for your exquisiteness. Thank you for reminding me why black is one of my favorite colors. You look… well, gorgeous!"

Hermione was sure she was blushing red by his compliments. She managed to reply, "You look handsome yourself, Mr. Prince."

He picked up a box from his desk and held it open before her. It contained two exclusively designed black masks; one for her and one for her companion. She picked out the feminine one, and marveled at its intricate design. "It's beautiful!" She whispered.

"And that's why it'll suit you well." Mr. Prince said, picking out his own mask.

When they had both secured their masks, he asked, "Ready, Ma'am?"

Hermione was surprised by this address. "Yes, sir."

"No need to call me 'sir' this evening; the other guests will find it odd if my companion called me that, don't you think?"

He held out his arm and Hermione took it. Then he leaned into her ear, and whispered, "Tonight, you can call me 'Severus'."

Hermione felt herself flush without any reason. He proceeded to walk with her to his private elevator.

"We'll have to take the car. Since there isn't exactly an apparation point there. And I do need to make an entrance." He explained.

They sat almost in silence, while the car took them to their destination. The Lincoln Center looked beautiful, and Hermione's breath was taken away by the decorative lighting inside the magnificent interior.

"Shall we?" Mr. Prince offered her his arm and she took it. They walked inside and the cameras flashed around them, making her nervous.

They appeared in a private parlour and before long she was being whisked to a reception table in an adjacent room. A uniformed lady greeted them. When Mr. Prince had announced his identity, Hermione caught the woman's eyes widen briefly before she turned to her, "And you are?"

Before Hermione could answer, her companion chose to speak for her, in a clipped tone. "My guest."

"Very well. Mr. Prince and his guest. This way, please." The subdued lady showed them the way, and Hermione followed her inside on the arm of Mr. Prince.

"Wow." Hermione breathed when she entered the ballroom. It was decorated lavishly, making it look like a fairytale come alive.

For the most part of the night, Hermione spent her time on Mr. Prince's arm as he moved around the party, greeting the guests and making introductions. She didn't have to do much, except for being introduced as 'his guest' whenever anyone asked of her.

After what felt like forever, he paused at an empty table, no doubt to take a breather.

"It's rather tiring to be the one hosting the party, isn't it?" Hermione said, eyeing his weary form.

"Yes, I am sorry that this hasn't proved to be the wonderful experience I had promised you." He said, apologetically.

"Hey, I am not the one who has to make obligatory conversation with every guest at the party. You are the one who looks weary." She commented.

"Ah, nothing a drink can't fix. Butterbeer, for you?" He inquired.

"Isn't this a muggle party?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Oh, give me some credit, fair lady. I'd take that as a yes." With that he was off to the bar.

Hermione's lips twitched into a smile, when she realized he wasn't referring her as 'Miss Granger' tonight. Well, he didn't want anyone knowing her identity, so. And what had he told her to call him as? _Severus._

 _Oh, God. Snap out of it before he arrives._ Hermione thought.

She had been enjoying her butterbeer when a man with curious silver mask approached them. He seemed to be quite young, probably in his late twenties. There was only so much Hermione could tell from his masked features.

"I was told you were here, Mr. Prince. And with a guest, no less." He started.

At Hermione's confused glance at Mr. no.. _Severus_ , the guest continued. "So rude of me to not have introduced myself to the lady. I am Edwin Caffery. The one who managed to get the Prince out of his ivory tower."

Hermione took his hand wearily and forced a smile.

"Glad you are enjoying yourself, Mr. Caffery." _Severus_ said, curtly.

"Hm. Interesting choice of drink there, mademoiselle." Mr. Caffery said, more interested in her drink.

"I am quite partial to it. A foreign brew, I'm afraid. Monsieur." Hermione replied.

Much to her annoyance, Mr. Caffery's eyes shot up at her with interest.

"Have you had the pleasure of enjoying the dance floor today?" He asked, ignoring _Severus's_ irritated glare.

"Not yet." Hermione replied.

And that was definitely a mistake. Mr. Caffery was now leading her up on the floor, which was quite full with other masked guests dancing slowly to the soft music playing.

Hermione felt an arm go around her waist and another holding her shoulder as she was led into a slow waltz with Mr. Caffery, someone she barely knew. Though she did realize, that he must have held important business with Mr. Prince to have agreed to his demands.

"So, where did he find you from? You're clearly not from America!" he commented between the turns.

"No, I'm not." Hermione replied, not trying to give any more information to the man than necessary.

"A beauty with brains! No doubt required to catch someone like Prince's attention." He huffed.

Hermione didn't reply and felt his grip tighten at her waist. He started pulling her closer to himself with each step and Hermione was starting to feel suffocated.

"Why are you being so difficult with me? Prince never bothered to stick up for you. He doesn't even give a fuck about you or he would have at least danced with you."

Hermione hadn't been listening to the man, rather planning her escape. She was most tempted to leave him right there at the dance floor when he had started tracing her mask's outline with his finger.

"I wonder what kind of face you are hiding behind this..."

But he wasn't allowed to finish his sentence. Someone had wrenched his hand away and then pulled Hermione out from his arms, rather gently.

Mr. Prince had his jaw clenched and Hermione could feel that he was barely controlling his anger when he spoke in a low yet clear voice. "You are overstepping your boundaries, Mr. Caffery. Now, I'd like to have a dance with my beautiful partner here."

With that Hermione had been swept into the strong comforting arms of Mr. Prince.

Mr. Caffery looked around confused for a moment, before he hurried off in another direction. _The Confundus Charm! Of course!_

"Sorry about him. He was ruining the evening for you." He whispered in her ear as he twirled her.

"Oh, he's probably jealous of your success." Hermione replied. She had yet to call him _Severus_ yet. _Why is it such a big deal to me?_

"You are however, partially correct. He is indeed, envious." He leaned into her ears and whispered, "It's because I am here with _you._ "

Hermione let out a chuckle. _He was joking, right?_ "Oh, you do flatter me, … Severus!"

There was a sharp intake of breath from him when she called his name, _or did she just imagine that?_ "Only you would think I'm flattering you, Hermione. Almost every man present here is envious of me and believe me or not, the reason is _you._ "

Hermione was grateful for the dim lights, for she was sure she was blushing. "Let's just enjoy our dance for now, shall we?"

"Your wish is my command, ma'am." He said, keeping her hand over his chest. _Was he always this charming? Definitely not!_

Hermione then focused on the song that was playing.

 _... 'Cause we're living in a world of fools_

 _Breaking us down when they all should let us be_

 _We belong to you and me_

 _I believe in you_

 _You know the door to my very soul_

 _You're the light in my deepest, darkest hour_

 _You're my savior when I fall_

 _And you may not think I care for you_

 _When you know down inside that I really do_

 _And it's me you need to show_

 _How deep is your love, how deep is your love_

 _How deep is your love?_

 _I really mean to learn_

They danced in easy silence for the most part and Hermione found herself relaxing in the slow music.

"Are you enjoying the evening, ma'am?" He asked suddenly.

Hermione couldn't help snorting. "It sounds ridiculous from you. 'Ma'am', I mean."

"Well then, Hermione." He breathed in her ear. And she forgot to breathe for a second.

"That sounds much better." She said, before hiding her face in his chest. She knew she must be blushing red by now. He held her close and they danced for a while like that.

 _... And your eyes, your eyes, your eyes_

 _They tell me how much you care_

 _Ooh yes,_

 _You will always be_

 _My endless love_

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"I didn't know you danced so well."

 _Two hearts,_

 _Two hearts that beat as one_

 _Our lives have just begun_

"Who do you think gave the Slytherins dance lessons for the Yule Ball?"

 _Forever (Oh)_

"Oh."

There was a soft chuckle in reply.

 _I'll hold you close in my arms_

 _I can't resist your charms_

Hermione could breathe his scent which was not so overbearing like Mr. Caffery's had been, it was subtle with a spicy hint. _Was there anything ordinary about this man? Probably, not!_

 _And love, oh love_

 _I'll be a fool, for you I'm sure_

Hermione was then escorted by Mr. Prince to a huge dining table, where unfortunately she had to meet Mr. Caffery again.

"I believe we met earlier, my lovely senorita!" He exclaimed happily.

 _Lord! How many languages does this man know! It's comforting that he doesn't remember we danced together, at least._

Hermione merely smiled and continued on with her food, which was delicious as well as fancy. She felt the comforting presence of Mr. Prince on her other side, throughout the dinner. It was all very formal and Hermione remained silent for the most part as the guests discussed about businesses and politics.

The party was almost over when the pair made their way towards their parked car. The ride back to the office felt longer than when they had arrived.

Hermione almost stumbled into Mr. Prince's arms when they entered stepped out of the elevator. He held her hand as he walked her to his office. With a snap of his fingers, the lights turned on. He hadn't let her go yet.

She blushed as she finally removed her hand and moved over to the sofa and sat down. Her heels had been hurting her for a while now. _Why do I let Lizzy get away with these things, I'll never know!_

She gathered her gown in her lap and was reaching to her leg, when Mr. Prince reached her.

"Let me." He offered and knelt down to remove her heels. "Does this hurt?"

At her nod, he whispered a healing spell while moving his hands over her tired feet. It felt heavenly, and Hermione hadn't realized that she had closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes, she saw him watching her with a curious expression on his face, as if he was trying to decipher her. It was gone in the next second, replaced by a blank look.

Hermione got up to her feet and picked up her shoes. "It's almost midnight. I think I should probably leave. Thank you for inviting me."

Mr. Prince had risen up on his feet too. "The pleasure was all mine, Hermione."

Hermione felt herself blush at her name. _Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me; it's my own_ _bloody_ _na_ _me_ _!_ She glanced at him to see him smiling smugly. _So he did_ _this to me on purpose_ _!_

Hermione took out her mask and held it in her other free hand. "Good night, _Severus_." She said, before apparating away. She did notice his smile falter at her address. _Serves him right!_

The next day, when Hermione walked into her floor, she was confronted with an enraged Lizzy who was clutching a New York Times in her hands.

She thrust the folded newspaper into Hermione's hands and said, "Care to explain this?"

Hermione's eyes had gone wide at the headline which said ' **Mr. Prince finally f** **inds his Princess** **.'** There was a photograph of her dancing with him, thankfully their faces covered with the masks. They were both looking into each others' eyes and Hermione had a shy smile on her face. The article went on to speculate about his 'mystery guest' and had also covered in great detail how Mr. Prince had gotten possessive about her dancing with some other masked man and had interrupted them to dance with her himself. They had also mentioned how the 'couple' arrived as well as left together. They had also included excerpts from some of the people present at the party. _Urgh, I didn't even notice the media at the bloody dance! They are even worse than Skeeter!_

"I _know_ it's you; I helped you dress yesterday!" Lizzy said, accusingly.

"I'll explain later, alright. Please, Lizzy." Hermione pleaded, spotting her other colleagues arriving.

"Don't you Lizzy me, …"

She couldn't finish her sentence, because Jessica had swooped in and grabbed the paper from Hermione's hands and exclaimed, "Hey, did you guys see this? It's about Mr. Prince!"

Jessica went on to read the article rather loudly and even Andrew, Dylan and Tyler listened to her with interest.

"… "I just think that it was a prostitute, you know. Just like that 'Pretty Woman' movie." Another woman who attended the party was quoted saying. While her partner replied, "I wonder where I can get _that_ kind of girl from, no matter what the price!"." Jessica finished reading the article.

"Wow, so he _isn't_ gay!" Dylan exclaimed, earning disbelieving looks from his colleagues. " _What?_ He's never been seen with a girl before, has he?"

"Or with a guy!" Lizzy corrected.

"Well, whoever she is, is a lucky girl!" Tyler said.

"Is she? The media is all over her now. Look at the things people are speculating!" Andrew said, shaking his head in disgust.

"Yeah, must've been quite a looker to snatch a guy like Mr. Prince. And that gown has to be couture." Jessica muttered, probably lost in her own thoughts.

"You wish it was _you_?" Lizzy was looking incredulously at Jessica.

Jessica simply rolled her eyes. "Any girl would wish it was her! I mean, who wouldn't!"

Hermione was about to say something to divert the topic from the article when Ms Harris showed up, glaring at them in anger.

"Speaking of..." Jessica muttered in a low voice so that only they could hear her. Dylan snorted loudly.

"If you are done with your chit-chats, I would recommend you to get back to your own worktables. Now!" their manager shouted.

"Urgh, we have a miserable day ahead. She's probably seen the article too." Andrew sighed.

"I agree." Hermione muttered.

The next few hours, Lizzy spent giving Hermione pointed looks, whenever they caught each others' eye across the worktable.

At lunch, Lizzy had managed to whisk Hermione away and finally ask her what had been bothering her since the morning.

"It's not what it looks like, Lizzy!" Hermione tried to explain, after casting a quick Muffliato around them.

"Really? And how do you explain why you are dancing in the arms of our boss and accompanying him to a ball?" Lizzy questioned.

"Well, he asked me to accompany him and I agreed. _As…_ _an acquaintance_ _!"_ Hermione answered.

"And when did you become acquaintances, exactly?" Lizzy asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, I've known him for years. From back in Britain." Hermione admitted.

"And you didn't even tell _me_?" Lizzy said, hurt evident in her blue eyes.

"I _wanted_ to, but you know about the contract, right?"

"Yeah. Of course." Lizzy whispered, and then fell silent.

After a while, she spoke again. "I don't really need Legillimency to tell you that _this_ does not look like acquaintances." Here, she pointed at the paper.

Hermione smiled at her, relieved that she wasn't angry at her anymore.

"I would've told you if there was anything else." Hermione replied, honestly.

"Yeah, I know. It's just you two look good together." Lizzy teased, and Hermione felt herself blushing again.

"You know, I wasn't angry because you were enjoying the evening with our boss but because I thought you lied to me about going with an acquaintance. But then you did have a good enough reason, and I acted like a child. I'm sorry, Hermione." Lizzy said.

"Hey, it's alright. You had the right to feel betrayed. But now that you know..."

"I know, Hermione. And I'll keep your secret, you don't have to worry." Lizzy finished.

After work hours, when Hermione turned her phone on, she found an email waiting for her.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : A word

 **Date** : August 6 2012 14:28

 **To** : H. Granger

I wanted a word with you, at your earliest convenience.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _Shortest email ever! Why does it sound so ominous?_

* * *

Hermione bid her friends good bye while she gave an excuse that she needed to get her key card fixed for glitches. Andrew offered to come with her but she declined.

When she reached the top floor, Karen asked her, "Are you Miss Hermione Granger?"

At Hermione's nod, she sounded relieved, "Mr. Prince is expecting you. This way, please."

She led her to his office to find him waiting by the glass window.

When Karen had left, he turned around to face her. His face was a mask of indifference, a look Hermione hadn't seen for a long time.

 _Oh, I am in trouble!_ Was her first thought.

* * *

 **So, One of the guest reviewer has pointed out that I need a Beta for this story. I'll admit that these days I've been in an hurry to write the chapters and haven't been paying much attention to the grammatical errors or the slips in the sentences. This story is about to have some important plot ahead and I wouldn't want the quality of my language skills hampering them any further. I wanted to ask one of you readers first, if any of you are up for Beta-reading? If you are, please PM me.**

 **As for the time leap, the story is taking place five years after the war. So, Hermione is in her early twenties and Severus should be about forty.**

 **I'd also like to thank all those people who have been constantly supporting the story through their reviews. They are all the encouragement I need for writing further chapters. I do hope you'll continue to write about your opinions, I always look forward to reading them!**

 **The songs mentioned here are:**

 **How Deep is Your Love - Bee Gees**

 **Endless Love - Lionel Richie**


	14. A Fresh Start

The closed expression on his face was making Hermione very uncomfortable by the minute. He had not spoken a word since she had arrived, not even a greeting. He remained standing by the window, observing her silently.

Finally, Hermione blurted out the first thing on her mind. "Lizzy knows."

At Mr. Prince's raised brow, she elaborated. "She knows that I was with you at the dance. From the photograph. She recognized my dress."

He seemed to be thinking over what she had said for a moment, after which he asked, "Is she going to be another problem?"

 _Another?_

"No, Mr. Prince. She won't tell anyone; she is under the contract too. Besides, she would never betray me."

"You are too trusting, Miss Granger. However, Miss Martinez is not my problem at the moment." He walked back to his desk, and took his seat.

A wave of his hand and several newspapers appeared arranged neatly. They were all folded to the page with the article about the party, each one carrying a similar picture. Hermione immediately recognized the New York Times article, their photograph taunting her.

 _So, Lizzy isn't the problem. I am!_

Hermione sat down in the seat pointed by him quietly and waited for him to speak.

" _This_ is a problem I didn't anticipate, Miss Granger, when I asked you to accompany me to the party." He spoke, giving nothing about his emotions on the matter.

"So you are... angry about what's been published?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I am. And justifiably so." He answered, in a cold voice.

Hermione gulped. _This is really bad!_

"Maybe, the people will forget all about this soon." Hermione reasoned.

"I have been running a successful business in the no-maj world here for quite some time now, Miss Granger. I know by now how the people take things like these. The silly gossips are what attract their attention more than important news." He said.

"The media can be very unpredictable, Mr. Prince. You can never expect what they are going to be printing beforehand."

"Indeed, Miss Granger. Seeing as they didn't even mention the very subject the Ball was being hosted for, even once in any of these articles. Instead they turned their focus on printing invented tales of my _personal_ life." His voice had a dangerous glint of barely contained anger.

"I think maybe the ball wasn't a good idea." Hermione said in a small voice.

"You _think_?" Hermione almost flinched at his glacial voice.

"I… I am sorry, Mr. Prince." She said, after a while.

" _You_ are sorry?" He asked, incredulously.

"Yes. Well, it _is_ all because of me. I gave you the idea of hosting the party in the first place and now you are all over the no-maj media because of me. I _am_ really sorry for being the reason of your public humiliation, and I also know that apologizing won't make all of this go away." Hermione said, looking down at her hands.

"You are impossible, Miss Granger. Is there something you _don't_ know?" was all she got in reply, accompanied by a humorless chuckle.

The words _insufferable know-it-all_ flashed through her mind. And suddenly Hermione had lost it.

"Well, what do you want me to do? I am at least accepting my fault. You shouldn't have invited me to go with you if you were so mortified of getting photographed with me! You can gladly fire me, if you want to. No need to further humiliate me, _sir_." With that she stomped out of his office.

 _What exactly did he call me here for? Obviously, to berate me for causing all of the trouble in his life! Well, he is equally responsible, isn't he? He didn't need to invite her to the party at all. She hadn't forced him, had she? And now, he is bloody ashamed of having photographed with me in public!_

Karen gave her an odd look when Hermione had passed her, no doubt her anger was written all over her face. She paced to the elevator and got out of the building as soon as she could.

Hermione had barely reached her home, when she got a call on her phone from an unknown number. She answered it.

"Miss Granger. you ..."

She didn't let Mr. Prince complete his sentence. _What did he want now? Well, he didn't exactly get the chance to berate me, did he? Serves him right!_

She didn't answer the next three calls she got. And then, she got an email.

* * *

 **From:** S. Prince

 **Subje** **ct:** Answer your phone

 **Date:** August 6 2012 17:29

 **To:** H. Granger

Miss Granger, would you please try and contain your temper, and answer your phone? I need to talk with you.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Hermione thought about not replying at all, but then she typed out a reply. She was getting impatient of the incessant calls.

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **ct:** Phone

 **Date:** August 6 2012 17:30

 **To:** S. Prince

Why do you want me to answer my phone, Mr. Prince? So that you can personally insult me? I am switching off the phone now. Don't bother trying to reach me. And I won't bother you ever again. I think the deal should be good enough for you.

Hermione Granger

 **Ex** -Junior Engineer, Prince Pharmaceuticals

And she did, switch off her phone.

* * *

After some time, her anger had started to ebb out. And she realized how foolish she had been. She had decided to trust Professor Snape, out of all people, to treat her like a _well, friend._ At least, she had thought that they had formed something akin to friendship by now. But she couldn't be more wrong. He hadn't changed; he was still the same mistrusting professor who used to take out his temper on his subordinates mercilessly for even a slight mistake.

Hermione even gave some thought about returning the dress and the mask that were still the reminder of her last night, but then she decided against it. She had a great time there; the last time she had enjoyed a night like that was back in her fourth year at the Yule Ball. At least, nothing had gone wrong at the same night like the last time, this time the good spell was broken the next day. _Why? Why couldn't Hermione just enjoy something that was supposed to last a bit longer?_

At around seven that evening, there was a knock on her door. She opened the door to find Mr. Prince standing outside her door. Hermione stood still, gaping at him in shock. The man himself, was looking her over with a somewhat amused expression, clearly at her choice of was wearing an oversized sweatshirt and a comfy pair of shorts. _It wasn't as if she had any idea he would come by unannounced!_

He used the opportunity to invite himself inside. Dressed in his usual black colored impeccable suit, he looked out of place in her small apartment. He was looking at her haphazardly organized flat with a critical expression. However, he refrained from commenting.

Hermione shook herself out of shock and asked, "You found out where I live?"

He gave her an unimpressed look. "Yes. You did give your contact address when you applied for job, Miss Granger."

 _Is he angry? He doesn't look angry! Is he looking for something?_

"Is that your kitchen?" He pointed to her tiny kitchen. At Hermione's nod, he went inside and she saw him preparing a kettle of tea.

After a few minutes, he was back with two cups of steaming tea in his hands to a very confused Hermione and sat on the couch.

"I've been told that tea helps to keep emotions in check." He said, pointedly.

"Why are you here?" Hermione asked, getting straight to the point.

"Ah, let's see. Because you stormed out of my office without letting me explain myself. And then you thwarted every chance of communication I attempted." He said, looking at her as if she was an imbecile.

Hermione glared at him in return. "And what did you want to say?"

"That you misunderstood me. My intention wasn't to take out my anger on you or humiliate you in any way." He replied calmly.

"It _wasn't_?"

"No. I said that I was angry. But not at _you._ At the newspapers who printed all the tripe about you. All those unfounded and untrue speculations that you certainly don't deserve! All of that, just for dancing with me." He finished, his eyes shining with sincerity.

"I…" Hermione didn't know what to say. _She had thrown a tantrum all for nothing! It wasn't like her at all to act this way!_ She thought back to the conversation she'd had with him earlier in his office. He had never directly said anything against her, had he?

"You thought I lied to you that day at the party? I didn't. I know this might sound implausible, but I haven't lied to you since that day we met here in America. I am trying to put all of that behind me, Miss Granger. Spying, lying and leading a double life." Mr. Prince said, in a tired voice.

"I… I've been a right prat! I have been so foolish, so lost in myself that I never even gave you a chance to explain your words. I am so sorry. I don't even think I deserve to be having this conversation with you right now." Hermione said, in a small voice.

"On the contrary, Miss Granger. I rather enjoy having conversations with you, even through the emails. I feel comfortable in your company, something that has never happened before. I don't want to lose that just yet."

Hermione smiled gratefully at the man in front of her. "Me too."

"How about making a fresh start, then?" He asked. Then, he offered her his hand, "Hello, My name is Severus. Would you like to be my friend?"

Hermione looked at him in astonishment. _Wow, this man is sure full of surprises!_

She took her hand and replied. "I am Hermione. And yes, I'd very much like to be your friend."

He released her hand and then picked up his cup of tea. "To our new friendship, Hermione!"

She too, drank to that.

After he had gone, Hermione had the urge to bang her head on the wall. When had she become so full of herself that she had even abandoned the voice of reason! Was it because of Severus? Why did he have this effect on her? _Urgh, I'm going mad, that's for sure._

Things didn't change much even when they had accepted each other as friends. They continued to have their email conversations and sometimes Severus showed up at Hermione's apartment with some wine or with some food. They spent hours talking with each other, about research, potions, books they found interesting as well as muggle music which they both seemed to prefer over the wizard ones.

Severus had shown her to his personal Potions lab, and it was behind the small door in his office that had made Hermione curious her very first day. He had told her about his various experiments and Hermione had thrown him some of her own ideas. They also practiced Occlumency sometimes, under the strict condition that Hermione gave her mind sufficient rest afterwards.

Hermione was getting closer to knowing Severus as the days passed and also ended up telling him more about herself and her personal thoughts about everything. He always listened to her arguments and then offered his own opinions. Sometimes, they disagreed but that only resulted in healthy arguments, _or maybe some heated ones,_ on occasions. The topics were not strictly academic, sometimes they even turned personal.

One September evening while in Severus's company, Hermione had gotten a call from Harry. Which she had answered immediately, much to Severus's annoyance. She lost track of time and spent half an hour talking on the phone. When the call ended, Severus had pulled a face.

"Trust Potter to count on you for solving his problems for him, just like old times!" He commented as soon as she had sank back to the couch.

"Why do you dislike him so much? He's a very good person at heart." Hermione sighed.

"Potter? A _very_ good person? Please don't use them in the same sentence, Hermione!"

"This has gone long enough already. You have to see him as his own man, not as a shadow of his father." Hermione said, frustrated at his biased view of her best friend.

Severus had straightened up his shoulders at her words, clearly getting uncomfortable.

When he said nothing more, Hermione continued, "Harry would be very happy once he comes to know that you're still alive. His greatest regret is owing you the apology for his behavior and not telling you about his gratitude."

"That is only because Potter still thinks I am dead. His feelings won't remain the same once he knows I'm alive." Severus replied, coldly.

"No. Harry's not like that." Hermione defended.

"Is that why you left the wizarding world for the muggle world? Did he care for you all those years you spent at Oxford?" He sneerd.

"That's… that's going too far." Hermione warned.

"Is it? If he can't care for a living friend going through so much all on her own, I can't help but question whether he would want his old greasy git of a professor who he probably thinks lusted after his mother to be still alive?" Severus replied icily.

"My case was different. It was choosing either me or Ronald." Hermione told him.

"And he chose the wrong side. Quite predictably." He sneered again.

"Harry was almost a part of Weasley family at the time. Besides, he didn't want to lose his best friends by coming in between. And most importantly, he admitted he was wrong. And I forgave him." Hermione reasoned.

"Of course you did. You are just too kind for your own good. You've probably forgiven Weasley too, haven't you?" He asked, heatedly.

"Well, he hasn't really apologized..." Hermione admitted.

"So you're saying you would, if he asked for an apology?" He sounded incredulous.

"I would, if I am confident that he realizes his mistake." Hermione was adamant.

"Unfortunately, I did see everything in our first Occlumency lesson. I witnessed how he broke your heart; how you lost the love of your life. He can not be forgiven for that." Severus declared, coldly.

Hermione felt a bit warmed by his words. He was being angry at her behalf. And suddenly Hermione wasn't angry at Ron anymore.

"I don't think I lost the love of my life that day. I lost the idea of how my love of life was supposed to be, I guess. I thought I'll always be happy with someone who was a real friend to me first, before they turned my lover. I thought if the person that I was meant to be, knew me for myself, everything there is to know about me, then he'll understand me the best. That's why I thought my best friend would be my perfect partner. I had already planned my life with him, clearly I was living a dream that wasn't meant to be true. So yes, if Ron truly felt sorry for what he did to me, I will forgive him." Hermione concluded, more to herself.

"You are impossible, Hermione."

"So are you, Severus."

"Well, you are completely barking mad, then."

"What? Mad for forgiving someone? It is the easiest way, Severus. And the right way, too. You can't carry the burden of hating someone for too long. It's easier to just forgive and move forward." Hermione said, sagely.

"Forgive and forget. I have heard _that_ somewhere, I think." He smirked.

"It's a muggle saying." Hermione replied.

"Well, I did grow up in the muggle world, you know. I still think I own a house somewhere in Spinner's End." He said, lost in thoughts _or memories._

Hermione's brows shot up. He hadn't talked about his childhood before. Suddenly, an image came to her mind.

"That mindscape you showed me? The one with Dumbledore? The place where you were walking with him? It was a place from your childhood, wasn't it?" Hermione asked.

Severus gave her a long look, but Hermione was sure that he wasn't reading his mind, courtesy the presence of her fire shield. At last he said, "Yes, it was. It was where Lily and I used to play. How did you know?"

This time Hermione told him the truth, about how she had seen Lily's face in the background.

"Thank Merlin, the Dark Lord wasn't as observant as you. I would've been long dead by now." He said.

"The Dark Lord, right. He took everything from you." Hermione muttered.

"Actually, it is rather selfish of me to blame him for everything bad that happened in my life. I did make the choice of being his Death Eater in the first place. And I ruined my friendship with Lily myself. I can't really blame the Dark Lord for that." He reflected.

Hermione put a comforting hand over his and spoke, "And you can't even blame yourself for that. Well, not completely. It was just about a word, and besides you were being tortured by the Marauders at the time. You _did_ try to apologize. You were truly sorry and repentant and that alone deserves the forgiveness in my book."

Severus had stiffened at her words. He looked at her, as if confirming if she truly meant what she had said. Hermione met his eyes, confident in her words. "You do mean it."

It wasn't a question, but still Hermione answered. "Yes, I do. And now, you should believe that too. You have to put it past you, Severus. If you truly want to live."

He grasped her hand softly and said, "I do, I do want to live. Thank you for making me believe I can."

Hermione squeezed his hand back and gave him a soft assuring smile. He smiled in return, and she leaned into his shoulder. They sat like that in silence for a while.

After a few minutes, Hermione said, "Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Since we are friends now, I think you should know that tomorrow is my birthday."

He leaned away and faced her, "Oh. What do you want as your gift?"

Hermione couldn't help laughing. "Really? Is that how you treat your friends?"

"Well, I don't know what you want, so I am asking you. Is that wrong?" He seemed a bit confused.

"Not wrong. But it's definitely cheating. You have to figure out yourself what your friend wants as a gift." Hermione explained.

Looking at his furrowed brow, she told him, "Don't worry, you don't have to give me a gift. I don't really need anything anyway. I just wanted you to know. And well tomorrow, my office friends are demanding a treat from me so I'll probably come home late."

"So I'll probably won't see you tomorrow." He stated.

"Yeah."

"Well, happy birthday in advance, then." Severus wished her.

"Thank you." Hermione smiled at him. And then another question formed in her mind. "I don't know your birthday, either."

"Why do you want to know? Will you give me a gift?" He asked, raising a single brow.

"For that, you'll have to tell me your birthday first."

"January 9th. And I don't want any gift either." He stated.

"You can't really demand that." Hermione teased.

"Actually, I can demand anything. I _am_ your boss, remember?" He said, pompously, which resulted in a cushion thrown at him from Hermione.

Severus dodged it effortlessly. "Very mature, Hermione." he teased.

Hermione recalled a charm used frequently by the Weasley twins, perhaps of their own invention. She decided to use it on Severus, and non-verbally cast the spell. She watched in delight as all the pillows began hitting him relentlessly. _He can't dodge all of them, for sure!_

"Call them off, Hermione." Severus warned.

"And stop all the fun? I don't think so!" Hermione laughed.

"Well, that only leaves this." He said, after a minute of getting smacked by her pillows. "Reducto!" he muttered, pointing his wand at them.

Both of them were left drowned in feathers from the disintegrated pillows. It was now Hermione's turn to scowl. "Very mature, indeed!"

"Nothing that can't be repaired." He replied offhandedly. And then proceeded to repair those pillows back to how they were. After that they sat back down, in silence for a while.

"Severus?" Hermione called.

"Yes?"

"I don't know about a gift, but I'll give you a promise today. I'll always give you the chance to explain yourself before I judge your words or actions." Hermione told him. She never wanted the scare that had transpired after that media scandal to happen ever again.

Severus looked into her eyes in a way that clearly told her how he felt about her words. "That… that's the best gift anyone has ever given me, Hermione."

* * *

 **Happy Saturday, guys!**

 **Thoughts?...**


	15. Uninvited Guests

**Second update of the day! Enjoyed writing this chapter, hope you guys enjoy reading it too!**

* * *

Hermione's day was going quite pleasantly. Her friends at work had all wished her for her birthday and she'd even gotten a phone call from Harry and Ginny earlier in the morning. Lunch was spent with the group, going over their plans for the dinner party. The guys had gone as far as have the entire cafeteria sing the birthday song for her and Lizzy too had joined them enthusiastically. Jessica had just clapped, but that was proof enough of how fond the girl had become of her. Hermione had blushed red by the end of it.

It was after the lunch break that the junior scientists at the R&D department got a surprise visit from the CEO himself. Hermione had been quite engrossed with her own work when she heard the surprised squeal of her manager, Miss Harris, bringing her attention to the source of it.

Hermione's jaw had dropped in surprise when she saw that Mr. Prince himself, dressed in his immaculate black suit, was walking inside their laboratory. Her colleagues were equally shocked to see him, but none were as affected as Miss Harris.

After getting over her initial shock, Miss Harris hurried over to the boss, her heels clicking in her strides. She decided to shadow him as he walked around observing the lab.

"I'll be fine by myself, Mrs. …?" Mr. Prince said to her after a few steps.

" _Miss_ Harris, sir. Of course, I'll... just stay h… here." the manager stammered.

 _He does know her name! Was that just to show her how insignificant she is to him? Arrogant Bastard!_

Mr. Prince did not turn to any of the scientist worktables on his way but continued steadily towards the back of the lab, coming to a pause by Hermione's table.

Hermione decided to pay him no mind, and continued her work despite feeling his eyes on her.

"Adequate brewing ethics. You must've had a very efficient Potions Master!" He decided to comment.

"Indeed, Mr. Prince. He was always very encouraging and supportive of me while I was his student." Hermione replied, in an even tone, turning her attention back to her cauldron. _Huh, take that!_

Hermione didn't see but rather felt him move and stand directly behind her. She was reminded of the time when he used to stand exactly like that during his Potions classes when he observed their cauldrons.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione. I thought, my friend deserved getting wished personally." He whispered close to her ear, so that only she could hear him. Her heart skipped a beat. _Why am I reacting like this? I certainly have no trouble talking to him in private. We are friends, for god's sake!_

Aloud he said, "Adding another sopophorous bean would do the trick here, I presume."

Hermione looked over at her potion. _He was right. Well, he usually is, if its about the Potions!_

With that Mr. Prince turned around and walked straight out of the lab, without giving any of his attention to anything else.

Lizzy was giving Hermione a teasing smirk from the other side, while Miss Harris was clearly glaring daggers at her.

"You should be concentrating more on your work, Granger. Or you'll ruin the reputation of the whole department. Don't look at me, pay attention to your work!" The manager told her, bristling with anger.

Hermione knew better than to say something back in reply. Her next few days were already going to be horrible, judging by her manager's fury.

"She just took out her temper at you, Hermione. Much less, on your birthday!" Jessica complained. Hermione was touched; Jessica didn't usually say anything in her support.

"Yeah, she was just jealous that you caught Mr. Prince's attention." Lizzy added.

"It's not your fault that Mr. Prince found you more interesting than her." Andrew agreed. _But why does he sound... upset?_

"Huh, he addressed her as 'Mrs.'! That was probably what put her off!" Dylan couldn't help snorting.

"That was a Burn, dude! Mr. Prince is quite ruthless." Tyler said and the rest of them couldn't help laughing aloud at that.

Hermione had received various birthday gifts from her friends. Dylan had given her a rare bottle of FireWhiskey, insisting that she needed one for some special occasion. "You are always so uptight; you need to relax sometimes, girl!" He had advised.

Jessica had gifted her a pair of designer shoes, saying that Lizzy had told her all about Hermione's poor shoes collection. "Wow." was all Hermione could say, when she saw them. Jessica appeared satisfied by her reaction.

Lizzy herself had given her a beautiful bracelet which Hermione had loved at the first sight. It wasn't very flashy but its simplicity was what attracted Hermione to it. "I love it." She had told Lizzy.

Tyler had given her a rare book on lost American legends, which Hermione felt was quite thoughtful. "Well, you can always enjoy a good book." He had said, and Hermione agreed.

Andrew had gifted her with a free all-year pass for the wizarding theater. Hermione was surprised by the gift, and asked how he had managed to get it. Then, the rest of them had launched into an explanation about how Andrew belonged to a very influential family in the American wizarding society. His ancestor, Cormac O'Brian was among the first twelve Aurors of MACUSA who were all respected greatly for their bravery in the country. The name 'Cormac' however brought back some unpleasant memories for Hermione. She was also explained that it was a rare gift that she had received. Hermione had then thanked a very embarrassed looking Andrew for his gift.

They spent the evening drinking beer and chatting at a place called 'MacLaren's Pub'. The group then went to a night club, of Dylan's choice, at his incessant insistence. Hermione had a good time but finally realized that noisy crowded places didn't agree with her that much. They got back home quite late that night and she was positive that at least Dylan would have to take a hangover potion before coming to work the next day.

That night when she was lying in her bed, about to go back to sleep, the incident from the office played across her mind. She decided to write an email to a certain Mr. Prince.

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **ct:** Your birthday wish

 **Date:** September 20 2012 01:30

 **To:** S. Prince

Quite a surprise you gave me today, Mr. Prince. And a shock to my manager from which she is yet to recover I think. I would've probably felt bad for her if she didn't take out her anger on me instead.

Oh, and "Efficient Potions Master", honestly? How can anyone be so self-obsessed?

Had to comment on that, even if I just got back home from the party. Good night, in case you read it now.

Hermione Granger

Junior Scientist, Prince Pharmaceuticals

She wasn't expecting a reply at this time of the night, but her phone buzzed, alerting her to his reply.

* * *

 **From:** S. Prince

 **Subje** **ct:** Still Awake?

 **Date:** September 20 2012 01:32

 **To:** H. Granger

Have you looked at the time, Hermione? Your friends are being a bad influence on you, as always. Good to know that you safely got back to your home. Still, as it was your birthday 'yesterday', I won't comment further on the topic.

DO get some sleep now, you have to be at work in a few hours.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

Hermione was half-asleep by the time she had read the e-mail, and so didn't bother replying. Or asking why he himself was awake, at this time of the night.

* * *

Time flew away quickly and it was soon December. Hermione's friendship with Severus continued to grow by the day. She was also getting closer to her friends at work. And even took out some time to talk to her friends back at home, that is Harry and Ginny.

One evening, Hermione was invited by Severus to come and visit his Potions lab. He had sounded really excited over some of his research and Hermione had agreed to come and look over his work.

Hermione was currently sitting atop his desk despite her jeans making it a bit uncomfortable, simply because it made him edgy. _Something about using the things as they were supposed to be used!_

"There are chairs here you can sit on, Hermione. There's also a sofa here, enough places for you to sit on beside the desk." He muttered in annoyance.

Hermione gave him a cheery smile and shot back, "There has to be some privileges for being your friend, surely?"

"Yes, you are clearly taking advantage of that, and yet you accuse me for my Slytherin tactics."

"Let it go, Severus. I am not budging from here. Now what were you so excited to have found out?" Hermione said, knowing full well that he wouldn't resist explaining his research.

"Why do I even bother with asking you!" He exclaimed, before starting on about the new potion.

Severus had merely started with his explanation that there was a knock at his office door.

"Who can it be, at this hour?" He said mostly to himself, then turned to Hermione. "Disillusion yourself, just in case."

"But won't they know someone is here with you? We weren't being very discreet with our voices." Hermione asked.

"No, they won't. The office is warded heavily, and that includes being soundproof. Now, Hurry." He chided.

Hermione nodded, and did what he had asked.

"Enter." Severus ordered, once he was satisfied that Hermione was safely hidden away.

His door opened to reveal a man dressed in the security uniform. _One of his Aurors, then!_

"Daniel, I presume you have a reason for coming here this late?" Mr. Prince asked him, stiffly.

"I do, Mr. Prince." The man answered. "I have some other people here who would like to have a word with you."

"You have to take an appointment first. I thought you knew that, Daniel. You have been in my security team for a year now." Severus replied, clearly annoyed.

The man, Daniel however, opened the door further and four others walked in, each holding their wands in hand.

Immediately realizing that there was something very wrong going on here, Severus's eyes darted once over to Hermione's disillusioned form briefly, and then his own wand was in his hands in a flash.

"Daniel, explain yourself." Severus demanded.

"Oh, I will. Mr. _Prince!_ Or shall I say _Severus Snape?"_ Daniel's voice had lost all its courtesy now.

"What do you want?" Severus snarled.

" _You,_ of course! Do you know how much money is placed upon your head, Snape? Quite a lot of wealthy people want you dead." Another of them had replied.

"Do you know who we are? We belong to the Order of the Scourers!" Another one had spoken.

They were all circling Severus's form now, like a predator stalks his prey.

"But MACUSA…" Severus started, before he was interrupted by Daniel.

"Ah yes, dear old MACUSA! Created for the very purpose of destroying the Scourers. They think they've wiped us all from existence, and we exist solely in History books now. Such fools! We are living right under their noses, even training and working under them and they have no clue! Hiding in plain sight, as the muggles say. You would know all about that now, don't you _Mr. Prince_?"

 _Wait, Scourers? Did they mean, the legend of the infamous mercenaries and bounty-hunters?_

"No matter! We have you all to ourselves now; that means we'll be getting very wealthy pretty soon." Another one had spoken.

"No need to try disapparating from here. We have already secured this place with an anti-Disapparition Jinx!"

Hermione knew that it was her only chance. Their backs were turned to her and they were all quite oblivious about her presence yet.

"Stupify!" She yelled, pointing her wand at the back of the wizards in front of her.

Only one of them was stunned; the rest had put up their shields very quickly. _So, they were more skilled than the Death Eaters!_

"There's somebody else here!" One of them shouted.

Severus had taken the advantage of the wizards' confusion and had darted out from the circle they had formed around him. He was soon at her side, now that she had decided to join in.

Hermione had to discard the Disillusionment Charm since that would only add to Severus's disadvantage when he didn't know where his spells were going to hit. Also, the strain of putting up the charm would hamper her spell casting.

"Ah a young witch, aren't you always full of surprises, Severus Snape!" A man taunted.

"Yeah, and she has fire too, I wonder…" The man didn't finish the sentence, simply leered at her.

Severus was growling at him, and had moved in front of Hermione protectively, trying to shield her from the man's eyes. Then it dawned over Hermione that Severus must've been reacting to the man's thoughts, rather than his words.

"Is she your girlfriend? The girl from the papers?" Another one sneered.

Hermione put a reassuring hand on Severus's shoulders, conveying that she could hold her own. He moved just a little, enough for Hermione to get a good look at the attackers.

"You should've stayed hidden." Severus grumbled in a low voice so that only she could hear.

"And leave you here to fight all by yourself? I don't think so!" Hermione shot back.

He simply gave an exasperated grunt in reply.

"Now, if you lovebirds have had your talk, we can do what we came here for!" one of the Scourers called. And a fight ensued.

"Stupify!"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Expulso!"

The office desk was blown up into bits as the spell hit it. Hermione had to take cover, shielding herself from the broken pieces.

"Impedimenta!"

"Crucio!"

It seemed the Scourers didn't shy away from using the Unforgivables.

"Sectumsempra!"

Finally, Severus had gotten another one of them with his spells. The wizard had shrieked in agony owing to the several cuts he had just earned, and then Severus had stunned him into silence.

Two down, three to go! Hermione thought happily.

But as she had anticipated earlier, these wizards were highly skilled and weren't going down so easily. By far, she had only managed to get one of them, that too when his back was turned to her. Still, she simply wished to be of enough help to Severus who was fighting fiercly by her side. But, her shields was getting weaker as the time passed.

"I think I know this girl!" One of the Scourers exclaimed, suddenly. "It's the Mudblood who helped Harry Potter in the British War. She too has a hefty prize on her. But this one will earn us more money alive."

That declaration only seemed to further increase the intensity of their attacks.

"Crucio!"

"Avis!"

"Aqua Eructo!" "Ebublio!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Once one of them had started using the killing curse, the other two also didn't refrain from using them. They too were tiring of the battle, it appeared.

Green and red spells were passing across the room like fireworks. Hermione was efficiently dodging the spells now, not relying on her shields. She was now drawn to another side of the office now, and was drawn in a duel with a Scourer. Severus was somewhere to her left, fighting two of them on his own.

"Colloshoo!" "Locomotor Wibbly!" Hermione cast, and her spell finally breached the shield of her target making him collapse. "Stupify!" _Another down!_

Hermione looked to the other side to see that Severus was duelling Daniel, his ex-Auror and one other Scourer by himself. They both were standing on the opposite sides of him and were attacking him with curses thrown at a lightning speed. He had his shield up on his one side while he shot a spell to the other. It was magnificent to see Severus fight like this, but she knew that he would need her help to defeat the two of them.

And then, she saw Daniel cast the killing curse non-verbally while Severus's attention was on the other Scourer. The satisfied smirk on Daniel's face clearly showed what he was thinking. The Killing Curse could not be stopped by a shield. Hermione didn't have to think twice about what she had to do. She jumped in the space between Daniel and Severus.

Severus must have felt her arrive at his side because his attention was then brought to what was about to happen.

"NO! Hermione, move!" He shouted.

But even he knew by then that she wasn't going to move by her own free will. Hermione kept her eyes at the green spell coming towards her, but she didn't feel any fear, just a satisfaction that at least Severus would be able to survive. She felt his hand on her shoulder, probably trying to push her out of the way, but she held her ground.

And then, she felt a familiar pull at her navel and saw her own body disappear right before the green curse reached her.

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 **A bit shorter chapter this time, but I had to hold my cards for now! *evil laugh***

 **Now, be a good reader and leave me a review! I'd like to know what you think has happened here.**


	16. Beauty and the Beast

**First, I wanted to thank you all for your very kind and encouraging reviews. Sorry it took me some time to update this chapter and you all had to wait so long. I hope you'll enjoy reading it.**

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As her feet touched the hard floor, Hermione felt the hand on her shoulder tighten. She turned to find Severus standing beside her. He was leaning on her for support while clutching his chest with his other hand which was now covered with blood. She quickly realized that he had been injured. One of the Scourers must've gotten to him while they were escaping. _But, had they really managed to escape?_

She glanced around the place they were in. It looked like a small bedroom of sorts, without any ornate decorations. There was a moderately sized bed that occupied most of the room. There was no one else here except them. Hermione immediately led Severus towards the bed and laid him down. He was in too much of pain to protest, and followed her lead for once. _Ooh, h_ _e's heavier than he looks!_

She then took out her wand to cast a diagnostic spell on him. But nothing happened. She tried again, without any success.

"Merlin, why isn't my wand working?" Hermione groaned loudly.

Severus glanced at Hermione and croaked out, "Won't work… the cupboard... _Potions_." He pointed at one of the two cupboards that were placed across the bed. Hermione now saw that her own hands were soaked in his blood; she needed to hurry.

 _Well, at least he seems to know where we are!_ Hermione thought, relieved. She hurried over to the indicated cupboard to find that it was indeed stocked with all kinds of Potions and a whole shelf of FireWhiskey. _I'll see about that, later._

She took out the essence of Dittany, Murtlap Essence, some pain relieving salve and also some bandages as quickly as she could and went back to him. He was losing blood and seemed to be on the verge of unconsciousness.

Hermione then proceeded to tear his shirt open and examine his wound. There was a deep gash across his chest which was bleeding profusely. She quickly unstoppered the Dittany bottle and poured three drops onto the wound, its usual green smoke indicated that it was working. She then had to clear the splattered blood from his body manually. The wound was clean now, but it remained delicate.

"You didn't have to tear away my shirt, Hermione!" Severus complained in a gruff voice when he could speak again. His eyes appeared strained and hooded.

"Well, you did tell me once that you had too many of them!" Hermione retorted. Her eyes lingered on his wound and then it dawned on her that he was lying bare chested in front of her. His body was marked with a few more older scars, but her mind only seemed to register how he was in the perfect shape, neither overly muscular nor on the lean side. _Snap out of it, Granger!_

"That I did." He said, taking a deep breath. He was still lying in the bed, apparently too weak to get up so soon.

"Do you need a blood replenishing potion?" Hermione asked, since he still appeared too pale.

"No, I don't think so. That potion should only be used in emergency cases. I'll be able to sleep it off, I think. Other than some pain in the chest, I feel fine." He replied in a low voice and his eyes remained closed. Hermione couldn't help but doubt his words but she didn't voice her opinion.

"Maybe we can get you somewhere you could get some medical attention?" Hermione wondered.

Severus's eyes instantly flew open at her words and Hermione felt that she was going to get a bad news soon. She wasn't disappointed.

"Erm, the thing is, Hermione… We can't get out of here just yet..." He started.

"And why is that?" Hermione was quick to ask.

"Well, this place is sort of an emergency hideout of my own design. You can't get out of this place until it lets you." He explained in a careful voice.

"Okay, and when will _it_ let us?"

"After seven days." came his answer.

" _What?_ " Hermione tried to get this around her head. She was stuck in this place for seven days without any hope of getting out. And even her wand… "And I'm guessing it's a no-magic zone?" She asked, trying to confirm.

"Yes, our wands are useless here." Severus said, looking away.

"Hm. Do you know where we are?" Hermione asked after a minute.

"Yes. It's a part of my house. Don't worry, it's unplottable. I had the idea from Black's home, back when it was used as the Order's Headquarters." He answered. He sounded relieved, perhaps because Hermione wasn't angry at him for bringing them here.

"Okay." She replied in a resigned voice. _Awesome, now even if somebody cared to look for us, they won't be able to find our location with a tracking spell!_

Hermione had spotted a small door at one corner of the room. She sauntered towards it and opened it eagerly. But all it led to was a moderate bathroom. She closed it again, frustrated. There were no other doors here to try. Just a small window, which currently showed it was dark outside. It was warded so heavily that once Hermione tried to put her hands out of the frame, she felt a warning electric shock. She did find a small kitchenette equipped with a refrigerator in one corner, separated by a three inch cardboard partition. The kitchen was well stocked, just like the Potions cupboard. She walked back to the living area, which only took her a few steps. All in all, it seemed like a one bedroom flat of sorts.

"Can you talk or is it still strainous?" Hermione asked, once she was back with Severus.

"The least I can offer you is some answers, Hermione. I can talk." He responded. There was no strain in his voice now, so Hermione decided to ask some questions that were plaguing her mind.

"So, let me summarize and correct me if I am wrong. We are stranded in this place for at least seven days without being able to practice magic. Is that what you call a hideout, Severus?"

Severus seemed reluctant to answer.

"The usage of magic can be traced, Hermione. That's why I decided to include this condition. This place was only meant to be used for an emergency purpose, in an extremely dire situation. This is the first time it's ever been activated since I created it some three years ago. It seems I may have overlooked some things in the activation spell." He said, thoughtfully.

 _Hm, so it was designed for just a single person. He can't have thought about bringing me here with him too. Hang on!_

"You mean to say that you thought of building an emergency magical backup for yourself if you ever come across in an urgent need of one? That's really brilliant! And it certainly had an activation spell on it which possibly activated the Portkey that brought you here today, and I was transported along with you. What exactly did you use in the activation spell?" Hermione asked, intrigued.

"The reaction of fear. Well, the muggle scientists at the company had this research about the responses of the human brain, when subjected to fear. So, I used the idea to distinguish a situation where I truly experienced fear and it would then activate the backup." He explained.

"Ah, I see. The excited hypothalamus, increase in heart-rate, goose-bumps… these sort of things?" She inquired.

"Yes, precisely."

"Huh, that explains it then. You never got attacked before and hence never activated the spell. It is fortunate that you thought of all this, I should be thanking you instead of demanding answers." Hermione said, guiltily.

"I saw what you did, Hermione. You shouldn't have jumped in between me and Daniel." He said in a low voice.

"Yes, it seems I didn't need to. I didn't know that then, so."

Severus was looking at her like he was deciding whether she was for real or not. Before he could say anything or get any ideas, Hermione spoke. "I would always do that for my friends, Severus. And you are one of them now. So, just suck it up!"

He now had a small grateful smile and the expression that clearly said that he knew that saying anything wasn't going to prove productive. _At least, he knows me well by now!_

"What about the Scourers? They know who we are. Even worse, they know who you really are." Hermione asked, concerned.

"They won't be able to do anything for a while. You see, the instant we arrived here, the entire top floor of our company building went into a lock down. They'll be restrained there, without any means to escape, until I decide to release them myself." He replied, smugly.

 _All part of his emergency plan! He really is a paranoid wizard! Can't really blame him after he's been in so many mortally dangerous situations._

"But they can still use their wands, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, won't they simply blast a hole through the floor?"

"No, Hermione. As I said, no means of escaping. I did think of everything." He said with a superior air.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Hermione. She checked her jeans pockets.

"I still have my phone in my pocket!" Hermione exclaimed happily.

"That won't work either! Signal Jammers." Severus explained guiltily.

And indeed, her phone had no signal. _Urgh! He did think of everything!_

"Hmm, and how will you explain the lock down of your office to the others? And how will we explain our absence for seven days?" Hermione asked, putting her useless phone alongside her wand at the tiny bedside table.

"We'll have to think of something. We have seven days to ourselves. Between you and me, I'm sure we'll come up with something." He sounded tired.

"Fine, you rest for a while. Meanwhile, I'll try to cook some dinner for us." Hermione told him.

She went inside the bathroom first and tried to clean up the dust she had gathered as well as the blood from Severus's wound. The bathroom was well equipped with toiletries, full with a bath-tub at the further side.

Hermione opened the refrigerator to find it well stacked with packed food. _But, will it last us for seven days?_ She decided to make some chicken and a pasta dish. She was happy to find that the kitchen included an oven. _Thank muggles, for electricity!_

While she was cooking, Hermione saw that Severus was observing her.

"I didn't know you also excelled at muggle cooking!" He commented, when he caught her eyes.

"I excel at all things muggle, Severus! I've spent almost my entire life living among them." Hermione replied.

"That doesn't necessarily make you a good cook." He stated.

"Hey, I'll admit that I'm not so great at cooking. God knows how much Ron liked to remind me of that every time I cooked for him." Then she tried to imitate Ron's high voice. "'Mione, my mum's such a great cook. Her food is always so delicious. You need to learn to cook better, 'Mione! Or you'll never be a good enough mother!"

Severus sighed dramatically at that. "I always knew that Weasley was a dunderhead." Hermione couldn't help laughing.

After she had prepared the dinner, Hermione helped Severus into a chair by the kitchen and they ate their food in silence. He was still shirtless, dressed only in his black trousers. And Hermione couldn't help sneaking glancing at him. _Huh, I never thought I'd be grateful for the Occlumency lessons for this reason!_

The other cupboard, it turned out, contained clothes. All for Severus, to Hermione's annoyance. _Well, what was I expecting, a closet full of woman's clothes?_ He did offer her to take anything she liked from the cupboard, but Hermione refused, for now. Severus took out a black shirt and Hermione helped him put it on.

The next problem was that the bed only had one pillow.

"You can take it." Severus offered.

"No. You are injured, you should take it." Hermione could see that he was about to argue further so she cut him off. "For tonight."

He accepted the truce and took the pillow. Hermione located the switches at the side of the bed and turned off the lights, to lie down beside him. This whole thing still seemed unreal. It was astonishing how much had changed in a single evening.

Hermione couldn't sleep however hard she tried. Beside her, even Severus seemed to have trouble sleeping. Although he was quiet, Hermione could tell from his uneasy breathing that he wasn't asleep.

"Severus?" She called, finally.

"Yes?" came an instant reply.

"Why seven days? I mean, you could've used two!"

He was silent for a moment, before he replied. "Well, in case of a serious injury, it would provide enough time for a person to recover. Also, Seven _is_ the most magical number, so."

Hermione couldn't help snorting at that.

"Do you need a potion to sleep? You should really sleep tonight if you want to recover." She said, a few minutes later. It seemed odd talking to him in a darkened room.

"No, I don't take sleep inducing potions anymore. I'll have to take a very potent potion to have any effect on me, which I can't risk in my present state."

"Severus! How much of those potions have you taken in the past that they have stopped having effect on you?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"It was a long time ago, Hermione. You know how much I detested teaching and well, Hogwarts always had a steady supply of those potions." came a reluctant reply.

"That was a horrible thing to do, Severus!" Hermione chided.

"I've done worse things, Hermione." was all she got in reply.

Half an hour later, they were both still wide awake.

"Severus, I can't sleep."

"You are free to take the potion, Hermione." came a weary reply.

"You need to sleep too. You're already getting weaker."

"I'll sleep for a few hours in the early morning hours. Don't worry." he grumbled.

"You know, I did not try to save your life so that you could abuse your own body."

"What do you want me to do, Hermione?"

"Get up."

" _What?"_

"I'll just need your pillow for a while."

Hermione turned on the lights and delicately pulled the pillow from beneath his head and set it against the headboard of the bed. She propped herself against it and then said to Severus, "Now, try to move this way and put your head in my lap."

"Have you gon-" His eyebrows had shot up.

"Just do as I say, Severus! I remember how my mother used to put me to sleep when I was a child. Now, move here."

After a glaring match, he finally relented under her commands, and placed his head on her lap.

Hermione turned out the lights and started stroking his forehead softly with her hand, unconsciously humming as well.

"Do you sing?" He asked.

"Yes, sometimes." She answered.

"Can you sing something now?"

Somehow, the darkness seemed to make her less self-conscious of her voice. Hermione had never sung in front of anyone before, and she wouldn't have even then but then she agreed.

"I can't think of a song." She muttered, helplessly.

"Sing anything that comes to your mind." He prompted.

"Hm, okay. If you insist." Hermione replied, and started singing.

" _Tale as old as time_

 _True as it can be_

 _Barely even friends_

 _Then somebody bends_

 _Unexpectedly_

 _Just a little change_

 _Small to say the least_

 _Both a little scared_

 _Neither one prepared_

 _Beauty and the beast_

 _Ever just the same_

 _Ever a surprise_

 _Ever as before and ever just as sure as the sun will rise_

 _Ever just the same_

 _Ever a surprise_

 _Ever as before_

 _Ever just as sure_

 _As the sun will rise_

 _Tale as old as time_

 _Tune as old as song_

 _Bitter sweet and strange_

 _Finding you can change_

 _Learning you were wrong_

 _Certain as the sun_

 _(Certain as the sun)_

 _Rising in the east_

 _(Tale as old as time)_

 _Song as old as rhyme_

 _Beauty and the beast_

 _Tale as old as time_

 _(Song as old as rhyme)_

 _Beauty and the beast"_

"That was… beautiful!" He said, after she had finished her song.

"I don't know why I sang that song. Perhaps, because my mother used to read me the story of 'Beauty and the Beast' when I was little. It was my favorite fairy tale." Hermione mused.

"I've never heard of that story." Severus said, quietly.

"Well, it's a muggle fairy tale. And I still remember it quite well. I'll tell you the story, perhaps you'll fall asleep hearing it."

"I'm not a six-year old girl, Hermione."

"Do you have any other ideas, then?"

"I thought so. Now listen." Hermione said, after he fell silent.

"Once upon a time, in a far-off country, there lived

a merchant ...

... Just then a strange sound woke her—someone was

speaking not very far away; and opening her eyes she

found herself in a room she had never seen before,

which was certainly not as splendid as those she had

seen in the Beast's palace. Where could she be? She rose

and dressed hastily and then saw that the boxes she had

packed the night before were all in the room. Suddenly

she heard her father's voice and rushed out to greet

him joyfully…"

Hermione could now hear Severus snoring lightly as he slept peacefully in her lap. She moved her hands through his hair gently, and couldn't help smiling at the man before her. He was so much like the Prince in her story, always misunderstood despite his kind heart.

Hermione was so tired herself that she didn't even realize when she had fallen asleep.

The next morning, Hermione woke up with a stiff back and realized that she had slept sitting up all through the night. _Perhaps, sleeping in jeans wasn't a good idea!_ Soft morning sunrays had managed to get in through the window, enough to lighten the room. Severus was still lying in her lap and her arm was protectively wrapped around his neck. She must've done that in her sleep.

"Since how long are you awake?" She asked in a drowsy voice.

"A while. I didn't want to wake you." He looked up from her lap. He looked quite cheery this morning and well rested. And, the tousled hair was looking good on him as well.

"Had a good sleep?" She asked.

"The best I've had in a while." He replied, smiling at her. She couldn't stop smiling back.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"You'll be a wonderful mother someday. Don't let Weasley's words trouble you." Hermione was about to say that they didn't, but he cut her off. "And don't deny and say that they don't, because you still remember his words exactly as they were told. I can see how your caring side may become shadowed by your confident personality, but it does exist." He said, before moving away from her lap.

"How's your wound?" Hermione asked, after getting over his unexpected words.

"I'm not letting you tear another of my shirts for that, Hermione. There are buttons to use." He said, and started unbuttoning his shirt.

Hermione found it quite fascinating, watching him take off his shirt. _How the times have changed!_ _Thank god, he can't hear my thoughts right now, or I would've sounded like my manager! Eww!_

"All recovered!" He declared, looking over his bare chest.

"Yeah, splendid!" was all Hermione said, before covering her blushing face with the comforter as she laid back down on the bed to get some more sleep. Sleep eluded her for a long time because her mind was still fixated on the image of her half-naked boss.

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 **The song as well as the story is from "Beauty and the Beast". Somehow, I couldn't resist using it in the story. Things are about to get interesting around our pair pretty soon, and I hope you'll continue following the story. I can't really promise to keep updating the next chapters on a daily basis. But, I will try and update as soon as it is possible for me. It might even be daily sometimes or alternate days or even once a week, who knows!**

 **Expectolinus, your guess was on point. Cheers!**

 **One special mention to a Spanish reviewer, Mama Shmi. I found your comments hilarious, thank you so much for making my day.**

 **Also, there are a few new people who have joined this story recently, thank you so much for your kind reviews and I hope you'll continue to enjoy it further.**

 **You know your opinions are always welcome, so please write them and share it with me in the form of a review...**


	17. A Crush'in Realization

**Thank you to everyone who wrote their reviews. It's always good to know about the opinions of the readers and your reactions to the plot changes. Your appreciations fuels my desire to write more chapters. Hope you enjoy this one.**

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Hermione woke for the second time to the delicious smell of food coming from the kitchen. Severus had been cooking. She rose from the bed and went over to see what he was preparing. Toasts, bacon, fried eggs, tea… She was reminded of the one time when she had had a breakfast in his office. That already seemed like ages ago.

"Finally, you're awake! Get freshened up, and I'll set your plate for you." Severus greeted her. He was dressed in a gray sweatshirt and a dark blue pair of jeans, quite a contrast to his usual clothes, Hermione noted. He looked good, _really good! Granger, stop it!_ _I don't know what's gotten into me._

"Nice choice of clothes!" Hermione couldn't resist commenting as she made her way to the bathroom.

After she had brushed her teeth, Hermione felt like having a bath. But then, she didn't have any extra set of clothes or even her magic to instantly dry them so that they could be worn again. She had no choice but to look through Severus's clothes to find something suitable enough for her.

She went back towards the cupboard, to the one contained the clothes and looked through them. Black and some white shirts; a few plain black, white and gray jumpers; jeans, black and blue; black pants; and some night clothes. A drawer also contained some new undergarments. She picked up a pair of tight boxer briefs and suddenly felt guilty doing it. _Oh Lord, why does it feel so…wrong? No, that's the problem, it doesn't._ _Instead, I feel_ _strange_ _ly excited! Damn, my curious mind._

Thankfully, Severus was still occupied in the kitchen, so Hermione took her time to shuffle through more of his clothes and finally chose a black jumper and a pair of black silk pajamas. They were the only things that would fit with her waist.

After getting refreshed by the warm bath, Hermione came out of the bathroom hesitantly. And when she did, she felt Severus's eyes on her before even glancing up at him.

"Nice choice of clothes, indeed!" He teased.

"Well, it's not like I had many choices. I don't care if you find this funny, I never care that much for clothes, anyway." Hermione retorted. She had found his clothes were, to her surprise, very comfortable. Even the briefs! _Not that he needs to know!_

"Yes, you don't. And I never said anything about finding your clothes funny; they essentially used to be mine. Now, come and have some breakfast, before it gets cold." He said in his usual reprimanding tone, which always made Hermione feel like she was still at Hogwarts.

The afternoon was then spent on talking about what had happened the other evening and what problems they would be facing once they got out of this place.

"Poor Karen and Nancy! What will they do when they find the floor under a lock down?" Hermione wondered.

"If you think like this, it's probably better that they won't meet the perpetrators. They are both sensible enough not to ask questions. So, we don't need to worry about them first." Severus said, stiffly.

"Ah, yes. The Scourers!" Hermione muttered.

"Indeed. What worries me is that the sympathizers of the Dark Lord have a wide influence. If these bounty hunters could find out our identities then others possibly can too. I'll have to take care of this problem before it turns too dangerous." He said, in a quiet reflecting voice.

Hermione too began wondering what implications this would have on their lives. The Scourers did not seem to be people who could easily be dismissed. She'd have to be very careful in future. If all went well, the ones that had attacked them would be waiting for them at the office, when they went back into their _real_ world.

"You need not worry too much about any of that, Hermione." Severus said, looking at her lost in thoughts.

"Oh, I was just wondering how my manager is going to react if I disappear for a week, without any prior notice." Hermione said, changing the topic.

"Yeah, she did seem a bit miffed at you when I came around to wish you on your birthday." Severus said, clearly relieved at the change in conversation.

" _A bit_? She's been giving me a hard time ever since. All because of _you_!" Hermione accused.

" _Me?_ I made an exception simply to wish you on your birthday, and you're blaming me for your manager being cross with you for that?" Severus asked in an incredulous tone.

"You know very well what I meant, Mr. Prince!" Hermione replied.

"Are you implying that I am a know-it-all, Miss Granger?" Severus shot back, a teasing lop-sided grin on his face.

Hermione resisted the urge to smack his face with the pillow. They had only one after all and it couldn't well be ruined in a stupid fight.

"Don't you have to prepare a dinner or something?" Hermione said, annoyed.

"Only if you're helping, Hermione." He shot back.

"You know about my cooking skills, don't you?" Hermione sighed.

"Well, there's always room for improvement. Besides, you should make yourself useful instead of just sitting there and making me do all the work."

"Fine." Hermione huffed, and she went to help him prepare dinner.

When it was time to sleep, they both had trouble sleeping again that night. Hermione, because the day hadn't been tiring for her as such; and Severus, she guessed, always slept late.

"You didn't finish your story last night, did you?" He asked, after they had spent about fifteen minutes just lying beside each other silently.

"You slept off in the middle of it. And don't even try asking me to finish it. I only did that yesterday because you needed to sleep."

"I don't need you to finish. I can predict the ending quite easily. As it happens with every fairytale, Beauty must've ended up with the Prince she saw in her dreams, leaving the Beast to die alone." He scoffed.

Hermione couldn't help laughing at that.

"Not quite. Beauty does end up with the prince. But he and the Beast were one and the same, it was because he had been inflicted by an evil curse that had given him a beastly appearance. The curse would only break if a girl fell in love with the Beast despite his appearance."

"Oh." was all she got in reply.

"Not everything is as it seems, Severus." She couldn't help adding.

"Well, it was just a fairytale designed for children, Hermione. In the real world, any girl would choose a prince over a beast, however kind he maybe of heart."

"I wouldn't. I think the heart matters more than the appearance. Your good looks can only last a while."

"Of course, only _you_ would."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

He sighed, and Hermione felt him turn towards her and speak in a softer voice. "I'm sorry, Hermione. Sometimes I just forget how different you are from the other girls."

She too turned towards him, even though she couldn't see his face in the dark. "You don't have to apologize for that."

"But you _are_ an insufferable know-it-all, did you know?"

Hermione could feel his breath on her face when he spoke. She decided to feign being hurt by his comment.

"You have made a habit of saying that. Am I really so insufferable?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that much insufferable. But, certainly a know-it-all."

She chuckled at his words. "You didn't think that when I was your student."

He sighed. "Yes. Maybe, I should apologize for _that_."

"It's okay. I always was an over-eager student, I suppose."

"But that's not a bad thing. An eager student should always be encouraged by their teacher, not reprimanded. You even ended up choosing my own subject, and I can't honestly say that I taught you to the best of my abilities."

"Just forget about it, Severus. It's in the past. Who would've thought I would choose the field of Potions in my future! Even I didn't."

"Why? Which field did you want to pursue?"

"I never exactly thought of any specific fields but I always wanted to make a change in the world, to change it for the better. The British Magical society always had these long rooted superstitions about magical creatures and stigmas about muggleborns and our place in their society. I wanted to at least try and if possible, change that. But then, the war happened and everything just spiraled out of my control."

"So, research wasn't always your first choice. That's not surprising for me, since I do know you from your school days. But, are you not satisfied with what you are doing right now?"

Hermione had to think over her answer. "When I moved to the States, I wanted to experience the different culture and experience it had to offer. This was never a long-term plan. I had decided to give it a year, at most."

"Half a year is almost over, Hermione. What do you think now?"

"I… I don't know. I never expected to actually like it here. Now I have a life that I enjoy, have some real friends like Lizzy and then, well, there's you. I think I'm finally happy to some extent. I think now I should stay here for a while."

"Still not a long-term plan, is it?"

"I can't say that, not yet. Why, Severus? Will you miss me when I'm gone?"

He seemed to hesitate just a bit before giving a reply, but Hermione caught that.

" _Me?_ I'll be glad to be rid of you for good! After all, you are an _insufferable_ know-it-all!"

Hermione ended up hitting him in his face with her pillow, and this time he returned the favor. By the time they had finished with their pillow fight, they were both breathless and Severus had ended up restraining her with his own body on top of her.

All of a sudden, it occurred to Hermione what position they were in. Severus was holding her wrists, pinning her to the bed. The skin on his fingers was warm as he clutched her wrists. His face hovered inches from her own, and his legs and torso were actually pressing against hers. She could smell his scent, the familiar spicy fragrance. Suddenly, breathing became difficult for her.

She could tell by his sharp intake of breath exactly when he became aware of the situation they were in, and then a moment later he had freed her wrists and moved away to his own side.

"You should sleep, Hermione." He spoke in a controlled voice, after a while.

"Yeah, good night." was all she said in reply. She turned away from him and tried getting rid of the mental images her mind was conjuring up for her. _He is my ex-professor, for god's sake! And not to mention my boss!_ Hermione thought. But her own conscience shot back, _he is your friend too, and you find him attractive!_

 _I_ _ts only because... how does Lizzy put it? Yeah, because I haven't been laid in a while. And being trapped inside a room with an attractive man is not helping things!_

The next morning when Hermione got up, she found herself alone in the bed. She had only thought of getting up when she heard the bathroom door open. Hermione decided to keep lying in for a while, and cautiously looked through squinting eyes Severus entering through the bathroom door, clad just in a towel. His hair was still dripping with water, some of the water droplets were trailing down his bare chest, highlighting his toned abs. His white towel was wrapped low around his thin waist, and somehow the sight made Hermione's heartbeat quicken. _Wow, t_ _his certainly was a great sight to wake up to!_ _How did I not notice that he was so attractive before, I've known him for years. Well, he did always have a thick cloak wrapped around his body and a curtain of hair, blocking his face._

She closed her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep when he was about to turn towards her, but until then she had seen enough of him to retain the image in her memory. _God, she was crushing on him._ _Her ex-professor and now her boss! Not to mention that he was almost double her age! But that didn't really matter much in the wizarding world, or to her. What mattered was that he considered her his friend and trusted her, and now she was acting like a_ _teenage school girl._ He couldn't know about how she felt, Hermione concluded in her mind. She had seen how well he treated people like Miss Harris who were falling all over him. And above all, she never wanted to affect the genuine friendship they already seemed to have.

When the smell of the cooking breakfast reached her, Hermione decided to finally leave her bed.

"Had a pleasant dream?" Severus asked from behind the kitchen slab. He was dressed in a white jumper and a pair of blue denim jeans. _He looks perfect, as always! He just asked me something, right?_

"Hm?"

"You had a smile on your face while you slept, I surmised it was because of a pleasant dream?"

 _A pleasant dream? Well, if you mean undressing you in my imagination, then it certainly was!_ "I guess, it was." Hermione answered, looking down at her hands. She wasn't ready to lie to his face this early in the morning.

"Well, does that mean it was about some boy? You are blushing red by now, I assume it is because you are reminiscing about your dream?"

Hermione looked up into his teasing dark eyes, her smile frozen. _Did he know? He can't, or he wouldn't be looking at me so casually._

"Ye… No. I mean, there's no one. Yet." Hermione stammered out. _Wait, what did I just say? His sincere eyes just make me want to spill my heart out. I should leave before I say something I regret._

"I… I have to use the bathroom." Hermione said, before rushing away to the only door in the room, leaving a confused Severus behind.

Things got awkward for Hermione after she became aware of her attraction to Severus. She had initially thought that it was just a phase which would soon pass. But confined in a small space with the very person you've recently developed a crush on, was indeed a challenge. _And a really tough one at that!_

It dawned on her that Severus must've noticed the change in her behavior, given his observing skills; yet he never tried to probe her about it. If Hermione knew him enough by now, which she probably did, she could tell that he was waiting for the right time.

They kept their conversations to neutral topics for the rest of the day, and finally Severus told her about his new research. It turned out to be a transformation relief potion, specially designed for werewolves. If his theory was correct, then it could help the afflicted people retain their human forms, even during the full moon and thus escape the painful forced transformations they had to undergo every month.

It was indeed a genius idea and Hermione told him so.

"I'll deserve the appreciation when it starts working, Hermione." He said.

"I know it will. I have full faith in your abilities. Besides, you deserve the appreciation for at least coming up with the idea." Hermione insisted.

He looked up into her eyes and gave her a small smile. In that moment, Hermione knew that she didn't remain careful around him, she was in the danger of falling for him. And she understood very well, how much wreck a one-sided love would cause in her newly balanced life.

Hermione was still preoccupied with her thoughts when they made dinner. She had been cutting some vegetables, not really paying attention to the knife. A surprised swear jolted her to attention, and she realized that she had cut her finger which was bleeding now.

Severus was beside her in the next second. He had taken hold of her bleeding finger and put it inside his mouth. After sucking on it gently, he released her finger. Meanwhile, Hermione was wondering what it would be like to have his lips on her mouth rather than her finger.

"You should be more careful with the knives, Hermione. You have enough potions experience to remember that." He rebuked her, although there was no iciness in his voice.

"It wasn't a big deal. Look, it's all better now." Hermione said, brandishing her finger.

"Don't think I haven't noticed how lost you've been the entire day, Hermione. You can tell me, if there's any problem bothering you." He spoke sincerely, looking directly into her eyes.

 _Something is bothering me alright. It's just that I've started fancying you and find you incredibly attractive. And I know for a fact that you don't like me the same way. Your eyes shining with sincerity, are showing me right now how much you care for me as a friend and no, I can't take that away from you. Or me._

Hermione looked away and said in a controlled voice, "There is nothing the matter, Severus. I had been thinking about my friends is all."

"Your friends from _work_?" He sounded skeptical.

"Yes. It feels odd to be away from work and my friends. I miss them. I've grown close to them in such a short amount of time." _Well, just Lizzy! And you._

"Hm, your department does have some promising talent. Perhaps, I should take you all along to the Potions Conference happening in Chicago, coming February." He mused.

"A Potions Conference." Hermione was relieved he had bought her story, and also interested in this new piece of information.

"Yes, it's an annual conference which is organized by the American Potions Council that takes up a particular theme every year. They showcase interesting new discoveries in the field and hold speeches from imminent Potions Masters across the world. This year's theme is 'Experimenting with new ingredients'; I think your department will find it particularly interesting." He explained.

"Yes, indeed. That is very thoughtful of you, Severus. Thank you." She said, sincerely.

"Well, at least it brought a smile on your face." He teased.

That comment made her smile even wider, and she realized Severus had said that just to have that effect.

"Then it's not fair. My department getting the special treatment, all because of _me_ and my smile. It's a shame they won't know they have me to thank for it." She said, in a fake haughty tone.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Hermione. But, your department did earn that privilege on their own. You just happened to bring it to my attention." He remarked.

"Huh, at least I got some credit somewhere." She smirked.

"And since when do _you_ care about credits?" Severus asked, raising one brow.

"Since now." She shot back.

"You won't be getting any credit for the dinner, then. Since I am doing all the work." He said, before moving to the kitchen slab to continue his work.

"Fine, you can take all the credit. But I get the food. Now, continue putting your cooking skills to good use. Go on." Hermione said, in a commanding tone.

"I see that you enjoy having me follow your orders, Hermione." He looked up at her in amusement.

"What if I do, Severus? I have in fact, been called 'bossy' by my friends now and then." _It was actually true._

"Do try and remember that I am your boss, not the other way round." Severus replied in his serious voice, though Hermione could plainly see that he was still amused.

"Okay. I'll _try_." She replied, stressing on the last word.

"You really are insufferable." He shook his head in resignation.

"You use that word much too often, it's really getting old now." Hermione scoffed.

"Oh, is it? It never will, for me." He announced, his eyes still on the cooking pan.

" _Arsehole."_ Hermione muttered.

"I heard that." He said, looking up at her reproachfully.

"You were meant to." Hermione said, folding her hands and looking at him defiantly.

"You really are taking undue advantage of our friendship. Are you sure the Sorting Hat didn't consider Slytherin for you?" Severus spoke in a cynical voice.

"You should concentrate on cooking, you know. I don't want to get the dinner spoiled." Hermione told him.

"Bossing around again." He grumbled.

"I heard that." Hermione accused.

"You were meant to." He called back, not even glancing up from his work.

That night, when they were both dining together, Hermione couldn't help herself from complementing Severus on his delicious cooking.

"This pie is really very delicious, Severus. Thank you. No wonder, there are so many women throwing themselves at you." The words were out before Hermione had thought them through. She blamed the pie.

Severus's spoon had paused momentarily in the air, before he took the bite. After a moment, he answered her. "Thank you for your compliments, Hermione. However, I don't usually have the time to cook dinner regularly. Much less to impress the ladies."

 _Ladies? Well, he must have a personal life too. But why does that make me jealous? Merlin, what have I landed myself into!_

"I... I am sorry. I didn't mean to intrude upon your personal life." Hermione tried to apologize, keeping her eyes at her plate.

"You don't need to. I don't really have much of a personal life of my own, anyway. That time has long gone for me." He replied, rather nonchalantly.

"What do you mean?" Hermione couldn't resist asking.

"I don't think I can put myself through the same anguish that once almost consumed me, ruin myself again. Besides, I am quite old now." He spoke quietly, avoiding her eyes.

"No, you are not old at all. You are still young enough to find love. Besides, there are loads of women who would die to be with you. And believe me, that woman would be very fortunate indeed who would win your affections. Just because the first time you failed at finding love, does not mean the same will happen again. All you need to do is try, Severus." Hermione said sincerely, although it pained her to think of him with another woman all the same.

"Well, none of those women interest me in the slightest. Do you really think I have another chance at love?" He asked, almost suspiciously.

"I _believe_ so." Hermione assured him.

"I don't." Severus said, his tone final. And Hermione knew that she couldn't say anything to convince him to believe otherwise.

That night when they both were lying on the bed, struggling to find some sleep, Hermione considered the state of her current circumstances. Of one thing she was positive, that she had started to feel for Severus. She still couldn't say whether it was a passing crush, a result of their unusual confinement together, or something deeper; not yet. Another thing was that Severus seemed very closed about having a serious relationship of any sort and it could very well ruin their friendship if Hermione let him know about her feelings which could later turn out to be a simple infatuation.

She tossed and turned until finally sleep overcame her turbulent thoughts.

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 **Thoughts... ?**


	18. Buried Secrets

**A shorter chapter this time, and yet it's important in its own way. Enjoy!**

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It was now almost five days since Hermione and Severus were confined together in the small room. Hermione was currently sitting cross legged on the bed and watching the heavy snowfall from the window. She was wearing one of Severus's patent black shirts today, tied into a knot at her waist in an effort to make it look a bit less over-sized. She had to take care that the waistband of the brief which was visible from above her low-waist jeans didn't show, _just in case._

Hermione watched the beautiful view from the window and in that moment, she longed to get out of this confinement more than ever. And so, she complained to the only person who was available to hear her.

"It was really a bad idea to restrict us to this place, Severus!"

Severus, who had taken it as his duty to ensure that they were both properly fed at all times, looked up from the kitchen area.

"Was it now? Would you prefer we were rather at the Scourers' mercy, then?" He asked, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"I wasn't talking about taking emergency measures, but the restrictions you placed around this place. I want to at least go out and enjoy the snow." Hermione whined, quite unlike herself.

Severus walked over to stand by the window and looked outside, lost in thoughts for a moment. Framed beside the window, he made a wonderful picture. He was wearing a white jumper, the same shade as the snow outside. Hermione seemed to find even his thoughtful expression, very striking.

"Such an excellent weather! Everyone else might be celebrating to have a snowy Christmas." He remarked, his eyes still looking out the window.

"Christmas! Merlin, it's Christmas Eve today, isn't it? How could I forget?" Hermione wondered aloud. She had completely lost track of the dates while she was here.

"Merry Christmas, Hermione!" Severus said, quietly.

"Merry Christmas, Severus!" Hermione returned, with a sincere smile.

He abandoned the window sill and came to sit beside her on the bed.

"I'm sorry to keep you away from your friends, much less on the Christmas day, Hermione." He spoke in a soft voice.

"I know that I have just been complaining about here, so it might not sound as true as it really is, but I actually am glad to be spending Christmas here with you." Hermione answered.

He looked at her like he doubted her words, but did not say anything to contradict her words. _I can still tell what you're thinking, Severus!_

"Severus, don't look at me like that! I thought I've told you already that you are my friend. And now that I don't actually have a family; like you said, I should be spending Christmas with my friends." Hermione told him.

"We're not going to be able to celebrate anything here, Hermione." He pointed out.

"Yeah, there's nothing much to do here. That was probably why I've been feeling so frustrated today." Hermione agreed.

"You could always help me cook." He said in a hopeful voice.

Hermione gave him an exasperated look. "It doesn't matter how many times you tell me, Severus. I never enjoy cooking like you do. Besides, how could you not stock a single book in this place? Exactly how were you planning to spend the week you were here all alone? Drinking FireWhiskey?" She said all of that in a single breath.

Severus looked mildly surprised at her outburst, but his expressions were composed in no time.

"I think it's you who needs a FireWhiskey today. A little holiday cheer, what do you think?"

Even though his voice did not betray any amusement, it was all very clearly written in the glint in his eyes.

"Are you trying to bribe me with Whiskey, Mr. Prince? I am not that big a fan of liquor." She replied, with an accusatory glare.

"I see. Well, it should be noted as well that I did offer it to you, Miss Granger." Severus replied, magnanimously. Then, he rose from the bed and went straight to the cupboard containing the Potions, which had not been opened since the first night they had got there. He took out a bottle of Ogden's famous FireWhiskey and placed it at the kitchen table.

"Since it is Christmas, the least we can do is have some drinks. You are welcome to try, in case you change your mind." He signaled towards the bottle.

Hermione was somehow reminded of the time she had spent Christmas with Harry once, at the time they were on the run from Voldemort. They had faced Voldemort's infamous snake that night. _Well, this is still better than that!_

The dinner was a fairly silent affair. Both Hermione and Severus avoided each other's eyes and focused instead on the food. After dinner, despite Severus's offer, Hermione once again refused to drink.

She was still in a sullen mood, as she watched Severus sip his glass. Unlike her, he seemed to be handling the alcohol quite well. _Judging by the number of bottles he has stocked in the cupboard, I really shouldn't be surprised._

After a watching him in silence for a while, Hermione decided to ignore her worries about the ill-effects that usually followed after she had partaken a strong drink. She made her way to the cupboard determinedly and took out another bottle. _If I'm going to get wasted, I might as well do that thoroughly._

Severus raised his brow in question, as she came to sat beside him at the kitchen table. But he chose not to comment anything. Hermione took a substantial gulp from the bottle directly, and had to suffer from the resultant burn in her throat.

"I thought you weren't a fan of liquor, Hermione." He said, watching her warily.

"I'm not. But, since this is a holiday, I'm indulging myself. Happy Christmas!" Hermione shot back. She took another sip, this time careful to take in just a small amount.

"Maybe, drinking doesn't agree with you, Hermione. Would you perhaps, like to retire to bed now?" Severus inquired in a careful voice after some time. _What's with his incessant warnings!_

"And do what? Lie in bed for hours, waiting to fall asleep?" Hermione answered irritably. Her head was starting to feel air headed already. _Perhaps, I should stop with the drinking now._

"It would be best if you left the bottle alone for now; you look like you should retire." Severus told her, as he gathered the finished dishes to the sink.

It was funny how his words seemed to have the exact opposite effect on her. One minute, she herself had decided to stop drinking and yet, once he worded it out for her, all she could think was that Severus didn't think that she could even handle a drink. She took it as if her personal pride was on the stake.

Taking the bottle with her, Hermione rose up from the kitchen table and walked off towards the bed. Instead of putting the bottle back to where it belonged, she took another sip from it, as she sat down on the bed, making herself comfortable.

When Severus returned to the sleeping area, he gave a sharp look towards the bottle in her hand.

"So we are getting drunk today, are we?" He exclaimed, before bringing another bottle with him. He too sat down on the bed beside her.

"Something troubling your mind, Hermione?" He asked her, after a few minutes had passed.

"Well, there are some things. Nothing I can share with you, though." Hermione answered, looking at his sincere yet handsome face. _It's not like I can tell you that if there really was a Santa, I would tell him all I want for Christmas is you, Severus!_

"I understand." He told her, quietly. He looked slightly disappointed and a bit thoughtful too. Hermione took another sip, just to distract herself from looking at his enticing face.

"You must've missed giving your friends Christmas presents." He commented after another bout of silence.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at that. "If that's your way of inquiring if I got you a Christmas present, then yes, I did buy something for you. Too bad, it's still lying at my apartment."

"Oh, and what, pray tell me, was it?" He asked, intrigued.

"A red shirt. I noticed you didn't own any." She laughed at her own joke. _It sounds so silly now. Well, the joke's on me since he would look wonderful in a red shirt._

"Of course, you did." He sounded amused, and even gave a small smile.

They continued drinking in silence for a while.

"You know, I always thought after the war that I had seen enough of fighting and trouble to last me a lifetime. And yet, the first time I got to use my wand in a fight again, I actually enjoyed myself." Hermione confessed, looking down at her hands. _Huh, who'd have thought that!_

"Yes, and not to mention your suicidal tendencies when you jumped in front of me to save me from the Killing Curse." Severus added in an almost accusing tone.

"I've told you-" Hermione started, but he didn't let her finish.

"Yes, that I am your friend and you would do that for all of your friends. Might I ask, who are the people on that list of yours?"

Hermione took a deep gulp from her bottle before answering. "Harry. Probably Ginny, too. No Ron, not anymore. And then, Lizzy… well, and there's you, of course!"

"Of course." He agreed. "So, tell me more about your work colleagues?"

"Hm. Lizzy has undoubtedly become one of my best friends. I never knew I could get so close to them in such a short span of time. Then, Jessica might be a bit self-absorbed but she means well, most of the time. Dylan is a flirt and can be a bit thick at times, but it's him that keeps us constantly entertained. Tyler is well, smarter than he lets on. And then, Andrew… is nice, I suppose." Hermione surmised.

"O'Brien?"

"Yes, that. I think there's some story about his ancestor being one of the founding Aurors of the country. Andrew himself, was quite discomfited when the rest of them were singing his family's praises." Hermione couldn't help smiling, as she reminisced about that time. They had all taken great joy at his discomfort.

They drank together in silence for a while, and Hermione drifted off into her own thoughts.

"Do you think I am selfish, Severus?" She asked him, once her feelings had overwhelmed her mind.

"Why do you ask, Hermione?" He asked, in a gentle tone.

"I took away my parents' memories, before I joined Harry at the Weasleys. You know, before the war. I confounded them to believe they wanted to move to Australia and they did. They don't even remember they have a daughter. Even now. I couldn't risk their sanity for bringing back their memories. I've missed them so much, you know. And it's my own doing, that they are not with me. I had thought about moving to Australia before I decided on America. But then, the thought of them, passing me by like a complete stranger, was what made me give it up. I suppose, I wasn't strong enough..." Hermione didn't realize when she had broken into sobs.

Severus placed his arm around her, supporting her drained form. She leaned back into his chest. He spoke to her in a comforting voice.

"You are not selfish, Hermione. Or weak. In fact, you are incredibly smart. Perhaps, the smartest witch of your generation. You may not know of this but, the Dark Lord had sent some low ranking Death-Eaters after your parents, in order to secure some leverage upon you. When they failed, he thought Dumbledore had them secured, probably under some Fidelius Charm with you as the Secret-Keeper. He finally decided on not wasting his resources for... well, people not worth his time."

"Mudblood, you mean." Hermione remarked. Somehow, her sobs had subsided by now.

"What I am trying to say, is that you saved their lives. And it was very brave, and not in the least selfish of you to have done that. You can never be selfish with the people who you truly love. You understand?"

His words had warmed her and she soon felt her eyes drooping in comfort. "Um, hm." She muttered, sleepily.

Severus seemed to understand that she was too smashed by now to sustain any conversation. He gently removed his arm and helped her lie down comfortably in the bed. Hermione had a vague sense of being stretched and then something soft hit her head, probably a pillow and then she had drifted off to sleep.

Hermione had the strangest dream that night. It wasn't anything visual, rather just a familiar voice speaking to her. She felt somebody run his finger along her cheek, as if framing her face. Then, that person had tugged a stand of her hair behind her ear. It was then, that a low soft voice whispered.

"I know that it's probably selfish of me, Hermione. But, I needed to say this to you, in person. It probably won't matter much because you won't remember anything by morning. That, I think is what gives me the courage to confess it out aloud.

Implausible as it seems, I think I've fallen in love with you. I don't think I could ever resist, getting to know you so well. You are one smart, independent, brave, fiercely loyal, and... such a beautiful woman. You have one of the kindest hearts and the close friendship you have extended to me is an exemplary proof of that. I couldn't help but fall for your many, many charms. You are the one that made me realize the difference between loving somebody and falling in love with somebody.

And it's because I love you, that I can't be selfish with you. You are so young, you have to explore much more of what the world has to offer you. I am but, an old and depraved soul in comparison to you. You deserve someone much better, someone who could make you happy and take you far ahead in your life, not somebody like me who would only hold you back. Somebody like, O'Brien perhaps…

Now sleep, love. It would be best if you remain oblivious to this little fact, but I promise to always be there for you whenever you are in need. And even if you remain unaware of my involvement, I will always watch over you."

With that the soothing voice stopped, and somebody placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead and then his presence was gone. Hermione felt the sudden urge to tell him not to leave her just yet, but she was helpless.

The next morning, Hermione had no recollection of the strange dream, save for an unclear memory of drinking and having a drunken conversation with Severus. Her head was throbbing with a headache, and despite taking some potions, her head still felt heavy.

"Ugh. Drinking is always the worst idea." Hermione declared, still in bed.

"It is, when you can't hold your liquor." Severus put in, sarcastically. He seemed to have had a bad night as well, judging by the dark spots beneath his eyes.

Hermione gave him a hateful glare, despite knowing that he wasn't the one responsible for her headache.

"… which is not a bad thing at all." He continued, noticing her angry stare. "You just need to know when to stop, or just have me around to help you whenever you are feeling the urge to get intoxicated."

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh, before she got up from the bed and stretched. She noticed Severus watching her with a curious expression on his face. Following his eyes, she noted that her, rather _his_ shirt had lifted up to reveal the very obvious waistband of the underwear that clearly belonged to him. _Whoops_ _!_

She hastily straightened her shirt, and when she looked up at Severus again, his face was totally composed like nothing out of ordinary had ever happened.

"Um, I hope you don't mind me using your clothes." Hermione said, keen to not let anything become uncomfortable.

"You don't have any clothes here, Hermione. Of course, I don't mind." He answered, his voice betraying nothing.

"Well, okay. I'm going to have to borrow something again right now. Clearly, I need a bath after yesterday's ordeal. I can't believe I didn't throw up. Or did I?" Hermione asked, trying to put her unruly hair into a bun.

"No, you didn't. I would have definitely remembered." Severus said, rolling his eyes. _Dear god, I hope I didn't do anything too embarrassing last night!_

That day too passed in between the meals and their conversations. It took some persuasion on her part, but Hermione got Severus to tell her that she had not said or done anything mortifying the other night, much to her relief. They had simply talked about friends and family, he had said. Though, Hermione still couldn't figure out why Severus seemed so reluctant to give up that simple piece of information. _It's not like I could ever understand a Slytherin's mind!_

That night, Hermione was happy to go to sleep thinking about the fact this was the last night she had to spend in this confinement.

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 **It was a little weird writing about Christmas, when the holiday season's long gone. But, I guess it just fit right in with the story.**

 **As always, eager for your reviews...**


	19. Back to the World

**So very thankful to all your wonderful reviews. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to write about how you found it, because I'll be waiting for your reviews...**

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"I can't believe all this while, there was just a single wall separating that room from this magnificent library!" Hermione couldn't help commenting, looking around at the shelves full of thick volumes of books.

After seven days had expired, a door had suddenly appeared out of nowhere inside the safe room Hermione and Severus were trapped in. Hermione had eagerly stepped out of it to find herself in a large, unfamiliar hall, full of books. _No doubt, Severus's personal library!_

"You can stake out the library any other time, Hermione. First, we need to get out of this house's wards and apparate to my office." Severus reminded her in an urgent voice.

"Yes, of course." Hermione answered, embarrassed. She was quick to fall in step after him. He led her briskly through his house, and although she didn't have enough time to observe anything carefully, she did notice that the house was quite modern in its design. And very muggle too!

Once they were out in the well maintained garden, Severus apparated them both directly in front of the door to his office. They had arrived at about the same time they had disappeared from there seven days ago. They glanced at each other nervously, both thinking about what they would find inside once the door opened. Severus readied his wand and Hermione too took out hers.

Finally, with a deep breath, Severus pointed his wand at the handle and then pushed it open before hurrying inside. Hermione was not far behind. Her eyes darted across the whole length of the office. There was nobody there.

Thinking that her eyes were deceiving her, she glanced around the room again carefully, but there wasn't a single person visible to her eyes. The office was in ruins, exactly like they had left it seven days ago. _It's possible_ _the Scourers are disillusioned!_ Severus seemed to have the same thought, for he was waving his wand and casting the spell to counteract it. She herself tried some revealing spells, but they all came negative.

"It looks like they have escaped." Hermione said to a thoughtful looking Severus.

"Yes. The question is how." He answered calmly, before setting out to examine the ruins of the battle they had once escaped from. _He appears so calm and collected, as if nothing has happened at all!_ Hermione too began looking over the broken furniture, hoping to find some clue the Scourers had left behind.

Hermione had moved over to the remains of Severus's wooden desk, when a chilly breeze left her shivering. It was then that she finally pieced together how the Scourers had escaped.

"Severus, look at the windows." She called over to him. "They've blasted the glass clean off. I think they found their escape through here."

Severus came over to inspect the area himself, and then sighed in frustration. "By Salazar, why did I not think about the windows! Perhaps I had underestimated the capabilities of people to fly through a high rise building."

"It's no use working yourself over the matter. At least, you can fly." She told him. _And here I am, still quite averse to flying._

"Yes, you're right. Perhaps it would be better if we should put this office back to its regular state, first." He suggested. They both waved their wands around the place and within minutes the office was exactly as it always had been.

Severus sat down in his chair, and Hermione too took a seat in the opposite chair. It was Severus who broke the silence first.

"This has turned into a grave matter now. These Scourers now know all about us and given their reputation, they are likely to attempt another attack upon us again."

"They won't be successful in any of their attempts, Severus." Hermione told him with conviction.

"They will be better prepared and will attack us when we'll be least expecting it. Daniel had been with me for almost a year. He knows far too much about this company and my personal schedule. The worst thing is that those people had come for me, and now they know about you too." He told her, gravely.

"Look, you said that they are a bunch of bounty hunters. If all they work for is money, then they won't be sharing our details with their fellow Scourers, will they? They are bound to lie in wait for an opportune moment to strike. That at least, gives us some time to think about a strategy for ourselves." Hermione reasoned.

"You're right. And I think you might've just stumbled upon the solution there as well, Hermione." Severus said, with a fond smile. _Really? How?_

When he didn't elaborate further, Hermione was about to ask him about the solution she had supposedly found, but before she could do that, she heard someone walking outside the office in the corridor. Severus too had heard the steps and motioned for her to be quiet with his finger. Hermione guessed there were at least two people heading towards the office, judging by the sounds and a hushed conversation that sounded like an argument.

At Severus's signal, she quietly moved from the chair and went to hide underneath his desk. They both were huddled down together somehow under the limited space, when the door opened.

Hermione had unconsciously gripped Severus's arm, when she heard two pairs of steps entered the office. She guessed from the sounds of the shoes that they were both women's. _Hold on, t_ _hat can't be right!_

"See, I told you there was nobody here, Karen!" came an irritated voice of one of Severus's secretaries, Nancy.

"Why are the lights on, then? I thought there was an intruder." came the subdued voice of Karen.

"Really? _We_ couldn't get this floor open for the last seven days and you think there was an intruder!" Nancy exclaimed.

"There could have been. And look, we didn't have any problems getting through this time." Karen pointed out.

"Yes. But think about it like this, it could have been Mr. Prince. And then, we both could've lost our jobs." Nancy sighed.

Hermione glanced at Severus at her side, who had an amused expression on his face, no doubt the reason was their eavesdropping. _Is this how he felt, overhearing our conversations?_

"You're right, I'm sorry. Maybe the security system here has malfunctioned. I'll just switch off the lights and we'll be on our way then." Karen spoke.

"Well, the date night is ruined anyway. Only _you_ could've seen the light at this floor from the roadside, Karen." Nancy admonished her girlfriend for the last time, as they turned off the lights and exited the office, leaving Hermione and Severus in complete darkness.

They waited for a while till the footsteps of the secretaries faded away, and then they both lit their wands at the same time. Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the situation.

"This is the first time I've had to hide in my own office, I never thought this was ever going to happen." Severus commented.

Hermione, who had made herself comfortable sitting on the floor, finally stopped laughing and pointed her wandlight at him. "Not to mention, you were hiding from your own _secretaries_!"

He sported a sour expression and shot back, "Yes, I think I need to have a talk with them about keeping their noses out of their own business."

"Oh come now, Severus. They had good intentions at heart. Besides, their date was ruined, isn't that punishment enough?" Hermione argued on those poor girls' behalf.

Severus contemplated for a moment and then sighed. "Fine. I won't outright scold them, happy?"

"Very." Hermione grinned at him, before rising up to get out from underneath the desk. She ended up misjudging the desk's height and she hit her head quite hard at the wooden surface. Hermione fell back down straight into Severus's lap, earning an impatient grunt from him at the sudden weight.

"Sorry, I just hit my head. This bloody table!" Hermione blurted out, rubbing her forehead.

After getting over the initial shock, Severus shifted her onto his thighs and removed her hand to get a better view of her head in his wandlight. Hermione was aware of how close they were, as he inspected her head carefully with his calloused fingers. _Must be the result of years of handling potions ingredients! Wow, he's so close that I could almost kiss him right now! Control, Granger! Control!_

"Perhaps you could turn on the lights now." Hermione suggested, once their proximity got too hard for her to handle.

Severus cleared his throat, as he realized his error and the next second, the office was back to its bright self. Hermione carefully rose from his lap so as to not knock her head into the desk again and then walked out to her own chair. He too took his place at his chair.

"We can never be too careful, Hermione. Instead of those Secretaries, there could've been those Scourers here today." He began, after they were both seated comfortably.

"But we can't live dreading them every moment, Severus. Can we?" She asked, frustrated.

"No, we can't. Just give me a moment." He said, rising from his chair, and vanishing into his private lab.

Severus came out holding a small intricate box in his hands. He held it out to her, once he reached her but did not offer any other explanation.

Curious, Hermione opened the box to find a simple yet beautiful necklace inside it. Its main attraction was its silver locket, which was a beautifully carved rose with a serpent wound around it.

"It's beautiful." Hermione whispered, holding it in her hands.

"It's for you." Severus told her and before Hermione could protest he continued. "Consider it a gift from me, a belated Christmas present if it suits you. The locket opens when you speak my name into it, to reveal an emergency portkey which will transport you to my location in case you need any escape route. Please, accept it."

Hermione was overwhelmed by the thought Severus had put in his present. "Thank you, I love it."

She was putting it around her neck, when Severus's hands caught hers and he clasped the chain around her neck. "It can turn invisible if you want it to, just caress the snake." He instructed her, ghosting his hands away from her neck and back to the locket. The necklace turned invisible, but she could still feel it against her chest. His fingers lingered at her skin just a little longer before he put them away.

"Thank you." Hermione said, once again.

"Now, I believe we should visit your apartment. You might want to rest tonight, and think about a convincing explanation to your sudden absence." He announced.

" _We_?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I'll just check the security measures around the building. Just in case." He answered, offering her his arm.

Hermione knew there was no use dissuading him from this for she was well aware of his paranoid nature by now. They apparated to her house together, then.

As she had expected, her phone was flooded with messages and call alerts once Hermione had turned it on. Bracing herself for the inevitable, she spent the next hour calling her friends and assuring them that she was quite well. She told Harry and Ginny that her phone had malfunctioned and she couldn't get into contact with them. To Lizzy and company, she gave the excuse of an urgent call from her home and that she had left her phone back here in a hurry. Her friends were all miffed about having missed her for Christmas, but in the end were back to their normal self after they had heard out her excuses.

Severus had gone back the moment he had finished putting his additional security measures around her apartment, leaving her alone. Suddenly, even her small apartment began to feel too big for her. It all felt a bit strange to Hermione and she found herself missing his continuous presence as she ate her dinner by herself. She slept alone in her bed after a long while and couldn't help wishing Severus was still with her.

As her colleagues already knew all about her abrupt week long absence, they weren't too surprised when they met Hermione the next morning. But her manager wasn't.

"It's all just seems unbelievable to me Granger, that you've managed to somehow get off the hook again in spite of an unannounced leave. Make sure to get your pending work finished by this week, otherwise you'll be spending a few extra hours here in the evening, working overtime." Ms Harris glowered at her, nastily.

"Yes, Miss Harris." Hermione said, before getting back to her work.

It was evident to Hermione that she'd have to spend some extra hours in the laboratory soon, because it wasn't really possible for her to do double the work in the given time. Hermione didn't really mind the work, it was just the attitude of her manager that annoyed her.

"Don't tell me you're thinking about working on the New Year's, Hermione!" Dylan shouted at her, in indignation when they were all gathered together in the cafeteria at lunch a few days later.

"I need to finish the work, Dylan. You heard Ms Harris, didn't you?" Hermione asked him in an exasperated voice.

"I wonder if the office will even be open tomorrow." Tyler mused.

"The office is always open, Ty." Lizzy grumbled. "It's too bad you can't come to the party tonight, Hermione. You even missed Christmas."

"Yeah, like that was so much fun." Jessica let out, icily.

"It would've been more fun, if Hermione was there." Lizzy shot back, though Jessica still didn't look convinced. Hermione had heard all about the Christmas fiasco her colleagues had gotten into, and she too wasn't sure how her presence would've stopped Dylan from spiking the eggnog.

"Well, I'm sorry guys. But, you all enjoy yourselves." She said, in an encouraging voice, that didn't have much effect on her friends' bitter moods.

Hermione was in no better mood herself these days. It was just that after spending so much time with Severus together, she hadn't gotten to see him much the last few days. It seemed that he had too much work to take out his time for her. Hermione understood that he was a busy man and she had no right to demand his time, yet she couldn't help missing him just the same. And what was more vexing, she couldn't really tell him about how she felt. _Maybe it was better if we were stuck together in that room forever, at least that way I might've had a chance with him. Ugh,_ _w_ _hy does everything has to be so complicated. He is the CEO of this company, is it really a surprise that he would be so busy after missing his work for a week! But why the heck am I being so selfish all of a sudden!_

"Come on guys, it's the last day of the year. Are you going to spend it like this?" Lizzy said, after a few moments of silence. Hermione was brought back from her thoughts as the group descended into a round of forced conversation. They were soon back to their normal cheery selves.

That night found Hermione sitting all by herself, reading a book quietly in her apartment. It just seemed like a perfect way for her to welcome the new year, rather than spending it partying midst a loud crowd. Her phone buzzed, making her peel her eyes away from her book. It was an email from Severus. Just looking at his name, brought an unconscious smile upon her lips.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Just a Reminder

 **Date** : December 31 2012 23:28

 **To** : H. Granger

It might sound a bit stern of me, yet I thought to warn you against taking too much alcohol tonight, despite your friends' coaxing. We are not yet out of the Scourers' radar, and hence my insistence on observing precautions. In case you find yourself in any danger, you know what to do.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _Even in his emails, he constantly worries about me. Had it been anyone else, I would've set them on fire. But Severus, well!_ Hermione was still smiling as she typed out her reply.

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **c** **t:** Your Unnecessary Reminder

 **Date:** December 31 2012 23:30

 **To:** S. Prince

Do you think I'm always out partying late, Severus? It was just one time, and that was on my birthday. I don't really enjoy loud and drunk crowds more than a quiet night with a good book in my hands.

In case you're worried, I am totally safe at my own house. The Scourers are yet to pay me a visit.

Hermione

She didn't have to wait very long for a reply from him.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : How?

 **Date** : December 31 2012 23:32

 **To** : H. Granger

I am amazed. How did your friends leave you all alone on the night everyone's out partying? What imaginary tale did you spin for them this time? Or do they not consider you a good enough company?

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _Trying to rile me up, are we? It's good I know your every move by now._

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **c** **t:** Always happy to amaze

 **Date:** December 31 2012 23:34

 **To:** S. Prince

I didn't have to lie to them this time. Thanks to my seven days of unannounced leave, I am working extra hours tomorrow at the office as per my manager's instructions. And yet, my boss doesn't seem to appreciate my diligence.

Hermione

There was an instant reply.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your manager

 **Date** : December 31 2012 23:35

 **To** : H. Granger

So, it's your manager again. Tell me, do I need to fire her?

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _What? He would do that?_ Hermione took a while to compose a reply.

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **c** **t:** My Manager

 **Date:** December 31 2012 23:39

 **To:** S. Prince

It was rather unlike you to offer something like that, not that I didn't appreciate it. Yet, I don't want to be the reason for my manager's sacking. She can be a bit strict and rude sometimes but that doesn't overshadow the fact that she is very good at her work. You would lose a valuable employee if you let her go, and that too for such trifle reasons. Still, I guess you were only joking about dismissing her and that I didn't really need to sing her praises.

Anyway, the year is going to end soon. I guess you wouldn't want spending the last few minutes conversing with me on emails.

Happy New Year!

Hermione

* * *

Five minutes passed and when no reply came from Severus, Hermione lost herself into her book again. Only to be disturbed a moment later.

A sudden crack of apparition made her look up from her book, and she saw that Severus himself was standing there with a bottle of champagne in his hands. He was dressed casually, in a black jumper and a blue jeans. Hermione was glad as well as surprised to see him there.

"I hope you don't mind some company." He said, sitting down beside her on her couch.

"No, definitely not." Hermione answered, still in disbelief over his presence.

"I suppose you're wondering why I'm here. Well, like you said, I didn't want to spend the last few minutes of the year, writing emails." He shrugged, summoning two wine glasses from her kitchen.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at his answer. There couldn't have been a better way to end the year than spending the time with him.

"I was completely serious about the manager, by the way." He told her, as he opened the champagne bottle and poured some into the two glasses.

"And I gave you my reasons why you shouldn't let her go." Hermione told him.

"There is no shortage of managers here, Hermione. But I won't fire her. Yet. If that makes you feel better." Severus said, raising his glass to her at the last line.

"Yes, it does. Enough about the managers, now. The New Year's countdown is going to begin." Hermione announced.

The last ten seconds passed with a bunch of firecrackers sounding outside, and finally a new year began. Hermione instinctively leaned towards him to kiss him full on the lips but she caught herself at the last minute and placed a soft kiss on his cheek as the last second was called out.

"Happy new year, Severus!" She wished him.

Severus had stiffened in his spot, just as she had leaned in to kiss his cheek. But he answered her with a warm smile that reached his eyes and a toast from his glass. "Happy new year, Hermione." And gulped down the whole content in a single go.

Hermione too drank to that, and then leaned into his shoulder. It was odd how just his presence seemed to put her at ease. _And here I thought, it was simply a crush that will pass soon enough!_

"Thank you for coming here, Severus." She told him.

"I couldn't let you be alone tonight of all days, could I? What kind of a friend do you think that would make me!" He joked.

"You are a wonderful friend. I couldn't have asked for anyone better. Thank you." Hermione said, meaning every word.

"You don't have to mention it, Hermione." Severus said, airily.

"I do. How else will you know that I appreciate your friendship!" She answered.

He didn't say anything in reply, but rested his own head on hers, letting her know how much _he_ appreciated her words. Hermione felt right at home.

* * *

 **I know some of you are very eager to get Severus and Hermione involved. I assure you we are getting there, eventually!**

 **If you like this story, show your love by adding it to your favorites and follow for update notifications. And of course, REVIEW!**


	20. Icing on the Cake

**Now, I know that many of you are eager to see Hermione and Severus together soon. But then, there can't be a straight forward love story when the pair involves one complicated Mr. Prince! (*evil laugh) On a serious note, I promise you all that we are very close to that confrontation. I do hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

The new year did not bring with it any more surprises and life continued just as it had before, for Hermione. Severus hadn't spent much time with her since the night of the new year. She assumed he was too absorbed in his work and so she too didn't call on him lest to disturb him. They continued their conversations through emails though, along with the occasional chats they had whenever Severus visited her for a few hours.

There was however, another problem that was weighing upon Hermione's mind these days. Severus's birthday was drawing near and she wanted to do something special for him, yet nothing that would betray her more than appropriate feelings for him. It was merely a week before the occasion and she had yet to come up with something suitable. _What do you give to a man who already seems to have everything!_

Hermione was still troubling her mind over her 'friend's birthday problem' when she sat with the usual crowd at lunch in the cafeteria.

"Anything on your mind, Hermione?" Andrew asked her in his sincere voice, interrupting her thoughts.

"Nothing much. I was just thinking about what to give a friend for his birthday!" Hermione answered.

" _His?_ Does that mean it's a guy? How could you do this to us, Hermione! Giving us all false hopes when you already had someone to take over your thoughts." Dylan was quick to comment.

"A friend, she said. Did you not hear that part, Dylan?" Tyler laughed at the aggrieved expression that the blonde sported.

"Well, you could always gift him a kiss. Would totally make my birthday, if it was me!" Dylan suggested, overcoming his grief too quickly.

 _Well, the thought of kissing Severus wasn't so bad after all! Only if it didn't come with the risk of jeopardizing my friendship with him forever._

"It's not you, Dylan. So, just get over yourself for now and shut up." Andrew admonished him.

"So, Hermione. Is this the same friend who came to see you from directly from London without any notice? What was his name, Harry?" Lizzy inquired, curious.

Hermione didn't want to lie to her but then she couldn't really let out the truth in front of everyone out here. So, she took the easy way out and lied. "Yep. The same friend. Harry."

"That's too bad. If you were in the same city, you could've surprised him with a special dinner. Guys like that kind of stuff." Jessica put in.

"Isn't that too romantic though? The friend we are talking about here is almost like a brother to Hermione, isn't he?" Lizzy turned to her.

 _A brother? Severus? No way in hell!_

Hermione had to put every bit of her self control in not showing her inner annoyance on her face as she agreed with her friend, though a bit guiltily. "Yes, he is."

Jessica pursed her lips at that. "Well, I don't know about those kinds of guys then."

"Enough about that, guys. I'll just send him some clothes, it's not that important. Can we talk about something else now?" Hermione told them, to get off this topic which was turning more ridiculous by each passing minute. Besides, she already had gotten an idea from Jessica's suggestion. In fact, she was rather surprised that Jessica had presented such a thoughtful idea in the first place.

It did take her some effort in arranging everything to order, but finally Hermione was satisfied at her efforts in making all her arrangements perfect for his birthday. She even had to postpone Severus's first invitation to visit his house to take care of her planning.

Finally the 9th of January arrived, and Hermione went through her day as she usually did, till her office hours were over. Thereafter, she busied herself into the preparations for the surprise that she had planned for the man. When she was almost done, she sent him an e-mail.

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **c** **t:** Help needed

 **Date:** January 9 2013 19:44

 **To:** S. Prince

Are you too busy to spare some time for me tonight? I have this urgent matter I could use your opinion on. Still at the office?

Hermione

There was a reply about five minutes later.

* * *

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Finally Available

 **Date** : January 9 2013 19:49

 **To** : H. Granger

It's you that has been too busy this last week, Hermione. I will be happy to help you with any matter you want. And yes, I'm still at the office. In fact, I've just finished with my work.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

 _Splendid!_

* * *

Hermione then apparated to his office, and found Severus leaning back in his chair at the back of which his blazer rested. He looked up in surprise when he saw her arrive. Perhaps, he was expecting another reply.

"You look tired, are you up for a little trip?" Hermione asked him, taking in his tired features.

"Hello to you too. Yes, I think there was more work for me today than usual. Where is this little trip of yours, by the way?" He asked, getting up from his seat.

"Not too far." Hermione shrugged.

Severus raised his brow at her answer. _Great, now he's suspicious!_

"It will be better if I show you to the place in person. I think I've just found a rare plant and I want your help identifying it." Hermione lied, hoping it wasn't too obvious.

"Hm. All this time, you have been too busy to meet me and now that you finally show your face, it's for some work. Never mind, just don't forget how very valuable a friend I am." Severus told her smugly. And in spite of being very tired, he walked up to her and took her extended hand.

 _Really? He certainly has no right telling me off for being busy when he himself has been so busy of late. But not tonight, I won't be saying anything unpleasant tonight!_

"I do know how invaluable you are, Severus." Hermione said, before apparating them both away.

Her full attention was focused on Severus as he took in his surroundings. She could tell that he was pleasantly surprised and he had a small smile gracing his lips. Hermione had spent a good amount of time in decorating the building's roof with the floating bluebell flames, encased in glass jars. The whole roof was glittering with the dim blue light from the magical flames, giving it an enchanted look. She had placed a decorated table in the middle, with two similarly decorated chairs.

"Happy Birthday, Severus!" Hermione told him.

"So, you didn't forget!" He said, incredulously.

"Of course, I didn't. My memory is still very much the same." She shot back, and he smirked at her remark.

"A rare plant? Really?" He commented wryly his smile still in its place.

"Hey, you bought that, didn't you?" Hermione argued. And he chuckled softly at her.

"Thank you, Hermione." He told her, sincerely.

"Well, it's not much. But I wanted to surprise you." She offered.

"It's still the best birthday surprise I've ever had." He said, solemnly. _He still deserves more. So much more than this._

"Let's just sit at the table. That area's under a warming spell." Hermione suggested, once a cold breeze left her shivering.

"You should've brought at least brought a coat with you, Hermione; it's January. This dress of yours won't do much to keep you warm. I could've offered you my blazer but I left that back in my office. But, _you_ already knew we were going to come here." He admonished her, as they made their way towards the table.

 _Remember it's his birthday, Hermione! No unpleasant retorts!_ Hermione chanted inside her head. Also, he wasn't wrong. She had forgotten to bring her coat with her amidst all the hurry of arranging these things and now she was wearing just a thin dress which offered little warmth.

"Hold on." He started, just as they reached their table. "There were supposed to be two security Aurors here on duty tonight."

Hermione had the decency to look guilty, this was what had taken her so much time to put her plans in motion.

"Er. They won't be waking up for at least another couple of hours." Hermione told him, sheepishly.

He had an exasperated look on his face and Hermione almost braced herself for another lecture on compromising security. But, he laughed it off instead as he held out her chair for her to sit.

"Where are they?" He asked, looking around as he took his own seat.

"I… um, stuffed them in the small office on the other side of the roof." Hermione replied. And then, another thought came into her mind.

"And why do you have a helipad on your roof?" She asked.

"I need to have a helicopter ready, in case I have any urgent situation to attend. I can't really explain my timely arrival in the muggle establishments, if I apparate." He explained.

"Oh, of course."

They had a wonderful view of the New York's night skyline from their table. Severus seemed to like it and Hermione was happy that everything was going well according to her plan, till now.

"Dinner?" She asked Severus, who was lost in admiring the view.

He simply raised one brow in question, as he usually did when he was suspicious about something.

"Don't worry too much, Severus. I didn't cook anything. Everything's been ordered from a restaurant." She told him, and he shook his head in amusement.

"Of course. I think it's safe to have dinner then. I'm starving." He agreed.

Hermione summoned the dinner and some wine. They ate in companionable silence, and it was good to see that Severus was in a good mood this evening.

"The dinner was very appeasing, Hermione. So, any more tricks up your sleeves for tonight?" He asked, when they finished eating.

"As a matter of fact, I have." She answered in a mischievous tone that had him intrigued.

After vanishing away the dinner plates, she clapped her hands and a chocolate cake appeared on their table. With a wave of her hand, a candle was lighted in the very middle of the message ' **Happy Birthday, Severus!** '.

Severus looked at the cake in shock, and then said in an unsure voice. "I don't think I needed a cake, Hermione. I'm not a child anymore."

Hermione laughed at his disposition, but she too was determined to have her way. "Come on, Severus! It's a birthday tradition. You have to cut the cake."

Being a smart man himself, Severus finally came to the conclusion that he couldn't really get out of this. "Fine, but I'm not blowing this candle."

"You have to. And make a wish before blowing it off." Hermione demanded.

With a sigh, he did as he was told, and Hermione clapped happily and sang 'Happy Birthday' as he cut the cake, much to his annoyance. They were eating the cake, when the first few drops of snow started to fall.

It was a good thing that Hermione had placed the area under a warming spell, because only a moment later the snowfall had progressed, and began covering the roof with a white icy blanket. The bluebell flames, since they were magical and resistant to water and ice, were still glowing brightly. In fact, the snow seemed to have made the setting look even more beautiful.

"We should probably get inside, Hermione." Severus suggested, as they finished their pieces of cake.

"Oh come now, Severus. It's so beautiful here." Hermione said, standing up and enjoying the view.

"I agree that it is beautiful. But, the snow can get you sick." He reasoned.

"Yeah, I enjoy the rain better than the snow." She said, before closing her eyes and feeling the cold snow fall on her face.

A moment later, the cold sense of snow was replaced by a pleasantly cool shower of lightly drizzling rain. Hermione opened her eyes in surprise to find that only the area surrounding her was raining, much like a limelight, while the rest of the roof it was still snowing as before. She glanced at Severus to see that he was holding his wand in hand, and a satisfied smile on his face. There were times like this, when you couldn't help appreciating the beauty of magic.

"This is wonderful." Hermione couldn't help laughing, as she twirled around, feeling the rain falling on her.

"It's good to see you so happy, Hermione." Severus said, looking at her. He too, was now under the effect of the rain. His shirt was now wet enough to cling to his chest, and Hermione had to tear her eyes away, lest she got carried away.

"It's your birthday, Severus. You should be the one to be happy." She told him.

"I am. This evening was certainly a nice break from the dull life that I usually have." He confessed.

Hermione didn't know what made her do it. Perhaps the wonderfully romantic situation that she found herself in, but it certainly seemed quite natural to do that. She held out her hand at him and asked, "Dance with me, Severus?"

He seemed a bit surprised at her offer, and then said, quite skeptically. "But there's no music here, Hermione."

She could've played some song from her phone but somehow she didn't feel the need to do it, so she said, "There won't be a need, come on."

Severus decided to humor her and soon they both were dancing quietly together, in the circle of rain illuminated by bright blue lights, while all around them it snowed. It all seemed too marvellous to be true to Hermione. But it was. Like her very personal fairy tale.

Hermione could tell that Severus had begun to enjoy dancing with her in the rain. He began twirling and turning her around, smiling as she laughed at his moves. Soon, they were dripping wet but they did not stop their dancing. It seemed neither of them wanted to.

Hermione was aware of his strong warm hand on her waist, because the rain had turned the thin fabric of her dress almost transparent. She was also aware that with each turn, they were moving closer to each other, as if seeking each other unconsciously. She was also enjoying the feel of his sinewy back, as his drenched shirt couldn't do much to come between her hand and his skin.

They were still moving together slowly in each other arms, when Hermione looked up to see Severus looking down at her as well. His brows creased just a little as he inspected her face, and said, "There's a bit of cake on your mouth."

Hermione licked her already wet lips as he watched her and she saw his eyes burn with something she had never seen before. He leaned in, and with one of his hands, delicately scrubbed the cake away from the corner of her mouth. A warm feeling washed over her as she noticed his lips were not far from hers. Acting completely on her instincts, Hermione stood up on her toes and kissed him.

For a moment she thought he wouldn't respond to her at all. But as soon as her lips brushed his wet lips, his hand on her waist tightened, pulling her closer to him. His response was careful at first as he kissed her lips gently. Hermione knew that she wanted even more, and she opened her lips inviting him inside her mouth. He leaned down further and his sharp tongue slipped through her lips. He was eager to explore each and every corner of her mouth and Hermione was only happy to let him take his time.

It was surprising how the gentle kiss had soon progressed into a passionate one, that was consuming Hermione like a fire from within. Each one of her unfulfilled fantasies of him, all of the suppressed desire that she had closeted inside her heart, and then the joy of finding out that Severus too wanted her just the same way, judging by how he was clutching her body, were all the things that were urging her on and she lost herself to the moment. This was probably one of the best times of her life. It was all just, _perfect_!

Severus tasted delicious, much like the chocolate cake they'd had last, even better. Their tongues were dueling now and Hermione could feel his hand moving over her back, pressing her to him. She put her own hand through his wet hair, and they continued kissing each other quite passionately. They only broke apart when they fell short of breath but they were still gripping each other possessively. Severus tugged at her lower lip with his teeth, and the sudden sharp pain from his bite elicited a moan from her.

The sound seemed to have broken the spell for him, for Severus instantly let go of Hermione. He ran his fingers through his own wet hair, looking at her. She could read the expressions clearly on his face since his mask of indifference had slipped away in that moment. First was the initial shock, followed by a bit of confusion and then horror. He sounded very unlike himself when he spoke. "I… I'm so sorry, Hermione." And with those words he apparated away, leaving Hermione all alone and breathless in the rain.

 _What just happened? Was this all a dream?_ Hermione's mind was reeling with confusion over what had just transpired. The calming effect of rain soon got her back to her rational self. She had just shared a kiss with Severus, after a wonderfully relaxing evening. It had all been so very perfect and just when things were getting heated up, he had left. Or rather, fled.

 _But, why would he do that? It was quite clear that the kiss was as satisfying to him as it was for me, since I felt his rising arousal against my stomach. There was only so much his drenched trousers could hide. Then, what had made him leave so abruptly? Was it the realization that it was_ me _that he was kissing? Was it because of our friendship? Or was it just a sudden urgent call from somewhere? If only Severus was as simple to figure as Dylan, at least I could then be sure that he had enjoyed kissing me. Lord knows, what is going on in that brilliant mind of his! Perhaps, I should clear up the roof first, before those bloody Aurors wake up._

Hermione had checked in his office before she leaving for her own house, when she found it deserted. She was starting to feel that it was an urgent call itself that had made Severus leave so suddenly, but even her own heart wasn't entirely convinced.

The next morning, Hermione was almost certain that she had dreamed up the entire episode at the roof, but her bruised lip was proof enough that the fairytale had actually transpired. She couldn't help smiling at her reflection in the mirror, as she examined her lip, and the reason for its bruised appearance. But then her thoughts progressed to what had happened afterwards, and she couldn't help feeling wretched and helpless.

Apparently, her bad mood wasn't that evident to her colleagues.

"Hey, Hermione. What's with your lip? Looks like a vampire got you!" Dylan commented in his carefree way, once they had settled at their usual lunch table in the cafeteria.

Hermione didn't choose to respond but it was Jessica who spoke.

"Yeah, the vampires aren't exactly the dreamy romantic kind as some authors portray them to be. They are extremely boring, with almost no regard for magic." The tone of Jessica's voice made Hermione wonder whether she was talking from experience.

"And where did you read about vampires, Jessica? Surely, not the romantic novels written by a no-maj?" Lizzy snorted.

"You do realize that a novel written by a no-maj could only be fictional, however romantic that may be?" Tyler said.

"Well, they are quite popular and they even made a movie about it."

Hermione shook her head in exasperation at Jessica's defence. They really were a bunch of weird people she used to hang out with. But, then she always had a knack for befriending the curious ones. Thinking of one, her mind strayed over to the possible reasons Severus could've had for fleeing after he had kissed her.

She waited till late in the evening but there was no message or email from him explaining his abrupt departure. Determined not to let this matter come between them, she decided to email him herself. But, she did not want to discuss what happened that night over an email.

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **c** **t:** Appointment

 **Date:** January 10 2013 22:30

 **To:** S. Prince

Hey, I was wondering if you had some time available on your hands for us to talk. You can come by my apartment anytime or I could come to your office, whichever suits you the most. This almost feels like asking for an appointment, but I really wish to talk to you and clear things up.

Hermione

* * *

She waited for an hour for a reply but it didn't come. Brushing aside her worries that he was ignoring her deliberately, she slept it off thinking he was too busy to check his emails.

When there was still no reply from him for another day, Hermione dropped by his office, unannounced this time. Much to her displeasure, he was nowhere to be found. She realized that she couldn't reach him at his house, since she didn't really know the exact location. She beat herself over realizing that she had refused his invitation to visit his private library herself. She didn't even have his cellphone number, since he had always contacted her via email.

Having exhausted every other option, she typed out another email.

* * *

 **From:** H. Granger

 **Subje** **c** **t:** Appointment

 **Date:** January 11 2013 15:57

 **To:** S. Prince

Severus, are you avoiding me? If yes, then you really shouldn't. Please, just talk to me once. I implore you.

Hermione

There was still no reply for another hour.

* * *

She thought about sending him a distress message. _He wouldn't really ignore my plea for help in case I was attacked, would he? But, I really shouldn't be stooping so very low. And give him some time to tell me his side of the story._ Right then, a buzz from her phone distracted her from her thoughts. There was finally a reply from him.

 **From** : S. Prince

 **Subject** : Your appointment

 **Date** : January 11 2013 17:03

 **To** : H. Granger

I'm sorry to have put you in a state of distress, Hermione. As for what happened the other night, I can only apologize in so many words. It was a grave mistake on my part and I can only hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

I share your opinion that we need to talk over the matter in person. However, I am not currently in town and I can't say for sure when I'll be able to return. I hope you would be kind enough to wait till then.

S. Prince

CEO, Prince Pharmaceuticals

* * *

Hermione was glad to have received a reply and yet it was too vague to put her mind at ease. _What does he mean by a_ mistake _?_ _What was the reason of his sudden excursion and why would he choose to go away exactly right now as if he's trying to avoid me deliberately? Anyhow, at least he's said that we would talk later._

However, her patience was running thin when a week passed away, without any further response from Severus. She was thinking about sending him another email that very evening when her manager interrupted them in the laboratory to make an announcement.

"Listen up, people. I am very happy to announce that our department has been selected to represent the company to the Annual Potions Conference held by MACUSA. It is really an honor that _we_ have been chosen to go and meet some of the foremost Potions Masters of the world that gather there every year to share their findings with the others. It's a good thing that some of you have managed to impress Mr. Prince with your abilities." Hermione was surprised to get a rare smile of acknowledgement from her manager, before she returned to her strict self again.

"The detailed information is put up outside my office. Be sure to read it thoroughly. I don't want any of you ruining the company's reputation by your ignorance. Now, get back to your work." She barked at them, before finally leaving for her office. _Huh, she thinks that I impressed Mr. Prince when he had come for his so-called 'inspection'. How ironic!_

All of Hermione's colleagues were excited about going to the Conference; Hermione too was excited. But for a very different reason. Severus had told her that he went to the Conference regularly, which meant he wouldn't be able to avoid her forever once they went to the Conference.

"It's good that this time we got at least a week's notice before we have to leave for Chicago. Whoa, there's even a gala event for the closing ceremony! We'll have enough time to prepare." Jessica commented happily, when they were all gathered around the notice board outside the manager's office.

Hermione groaned internally. She had a fair idea by now what Jessica meant by 'prepare' and judging by an equally excited look on Lizzy's face, it was clear that Hermione was going to be forced into their rigorous shopping trips. Well, the good thing was that they would be a good distraction for her for the rest of the week before she could finally meet Severus and relieve her troubled mind.

* * *

 **So, what do y'all think? Do write it in the reviews...**


	21. The Conference Conundrum

**Finally, an update! I know you have all been waiting for a while and I sincerely apologize for that. I actually wrote this chapter four different ways before I settled on this one. I swear, it's true! Also, I have been busy preparing for my exams and am not getting enough time to write these days.** **Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

With each passing day of the next week, Hermione was closer to using the portkey Severus had placed in her necklace. It was a difficult thing to do; the waiting. There was no correspondence from Severus other than his last short e-mail, telling her to wait till they met in person. He wasn't even showing up at the office building, and the secretary upstairs had told her he will not be available for at least a week.

There were times when Hermione was worried about Severus's well being. With no news of him for such a long time, there really was no way for her to know what he was doing or where. But then, he had asked her to wait and remembering his words, she somehow contained herself. On another note, with the announcement for the Conference, the office had been transformed into a gossiping ground and the after hours into shopping frenzy.

Since the upcoming event was a magical one, there was no restriction whatsoever on making use of magical accessories and apparels. The American magical society had no qualms about the no-maj products and the girls had all agreed that when it came to clothing, the no-maj dresses were better than the traditional witches' robes. And so they spent much of their time at shopping malls some even at their lingerie section, much to Hermione's annoyance.

"Come on, guys! What does it matter what I wear underneath my dress anyway?" Hermione couldn't resist commenting, when she was forced into a large shop specializing in branded intimate clothing.

Both Jessica and Lizzy were united for once, as they glared down at her in disbelief.

"It does matter, Hermione. In fact, the lingerie is as important as the dress itself." Jessica told her in a condescending tone.

"And judging by what you've just said, you girl, need to buy a whole collection from here. This shop has a pretty amazing collection." Lizzy said, pushing her towards the lacy brassieres.

"Lizzy, please. I really don't need any of these fancy things." Hermione appealed.

"In fact, you do need these. I've noticed how you've been cooped up into your world these last few days, Hermione. And nothing will make you feel better than to look beautiful from inside. Not to mention, that these will be likely to aid you get lucky, in case you need to. Now, come on. Indulge the fancy of your friend a bit." Lizzy said, in an almost pleading voice which Hermione couldn't ignore.

It warmed her to know how her friend had noticed her behavior and she felt a bit guilty about not giving Lizzy much of her time these days. She had been too preoccupied with planning Severus's birthday and then struggling to come to terms with his unexplained behavior at the occasion. Hermione promised herself that she would remember to give Lizzy more of her time from now on.

That evening, Hermione ended up with her arms full of the new lingerie sets that Lizzy and Jessica had chosen for her. Though she wasn't any more excited over them as she was being expected to, she did appreciate her friends' efforts to not let her sulk alone in her own distress. The night ended with them having dinner together after which Hermione and Lizzy spent some time together at the latter's apartment.

Hermione returned to her own apartment late at night and as she lay alone in her bed, the weight of her invisible necklace made her thoughts wander over to the man who had presented it to her. She debated about using the necklace to get to him, but then decided against it.

 _What am I going to tell him once I suddenly appear in front of him unannounced?_ _That I was just making sure you were alright? And then, proceed with "Let's talk about the delicious kiss we shared, the last time we met!"_

 _If I ignore what transpired afterwards, it really was quite amazing to finally kiss Severus. I wonder what would've happened if instead of leaving, he had stayed! How much further could we have gone?_

 _I wonder how he's in bed! I'm sure he is excellent in everything he does, sex can not be an exception. What would it feel to have those talented hands wander all over me…_ Needless to say, sleep never was so scarce to her, than these recent nights.

The girls' next assignment was choosing their dresses for the gala event. Jessica and even Lizzy, were intent on scanning every shop in their knowledge in order to get their perfect dresses. And Hermione was as usual, dragged along with them.

"Come on, Hermione. Don't look so glum. There will be plenty of people at the gala. Do you not want to look great?" Jessica asked her, noticing her gloomy expression.

 _If only I could be sure that Severus is going to be there!_

Hermione sighed, and looked at the two excited faces of her friends. "You know, maybe you could help me with choosing the dress this time? I totally trust your choices."

They both lit up at the suggestion and set off towards their work, leaving Hermione in peace with her thoughts. She never even checked the package they handed over to her and declared that she would open it the night of the gala itself.

Hermione was standing by herself in the office, the day before they were going to depart for the Conference, when Tyler and Andrew approached her.

"Hey, Hermione. Sorry to disturb you, but we had something to ask you." Andrew said to her, politely. Tyler however, appeared very nervous.

"Of course. Tyler, are you alright?" Hermione asked the guy, but he just nodded and said nothing.

"He will be. Once you answer something for us." Andrew said, in a conspiratory tone. _Hm, this certainly sounds interesting!_

"And what might that be?" Hermione inquired.

This time however, it was Tyler who beat Andrew to the answer. "Listen, I've been thinking about asking Lizzy out, for the dance at the gala. And Drew here, had this idea that since you and her are pretty close, you might know whether there's any chance for me, you know?"

The desperation in the usually composed guy, brought a smile on Hermione's face. It was actually very clear to everyone, other than Tyler and Lizzy themselves, that they liked each other. _Well, actually Lizzy might know from her Legillimency!_ So, she did the only thing that was now needed, which was to calm his nerves enough so that he could ask her himself.

"She'll say 'yes'. Just go and ask her, Tyler." Hermione told him, in her most confident voice.

Tyler seemed a little relieved at her words, and glanced uneasily in Lizzy's direction, who was at her own table reading some papers.

"Come on, Tyler. Just go, already." Andrew urged him on and he finally, though reluctantly made his way over to her.

Hermione and Andrew were watching his every movement from their corner. It appeared as if Lizzy had accepted his proposal, judging by his vibrant smile and they were both sitting together now, enjoying some conversation.

 _Huh, that right there is a perfect example of a friendship turning into something more. Did I make a mistake in making my move too soon? Was Severus not ready for a relationship yet? Or were my feelings simply one sided?_

"Well, that turned out alright. Thank you, Hermione." Andrew told her, distracting her from her train of thoughts.

"I didn't do anything at all. I suppose, Tyler has you to thank for his happy ending. You are a good friend, Andrew." Hermione told him. She knew very well that if it hadn't been for his persuasions, Tyler wouldn't have gathered this much courage to finally ask Lizzy out.

"So, anyone you are going with?" Andrew inquired.

 _Well, the man I do want to go with, has disappeared from the face of the Earth, it seems._

"Nope. You?" Hermione asked, as it was only polite to do so.

"Me neither. Perhaps we could go together?" Andrew offered.

 _It isn't like I can dance with Severus in public, even if he shows up. He's the illustrious Mr. Prince and I am but his employee! And Andrew is a nice guy, at least it would be better to go with him than Dylan!_

Hermione saw that her silence was making Andrew nervous, probably making him realize that he had made an awkward mistake. So, she told him in an assuring voice. "Okay, we'll go together."

Andrew gave her a grateful smile, before turning away to his own desk where Dylan was busy making paper planes out of his official papers. _Yes, loads better than Dylan!_

That evening, Hermione found herself at Lizzy's apartment, as the girls were having a quiet night before they set out for Chicago the next day.

"So, Tyler finally asked you out?" Hermione started, conversationally.

"Yes. Finally!" Lizzy exclaimed with a sigh.

"You already knew how he felt, didn't you? Then, why didn't you make the first move?" Hermione questioned her friend. She had been genuinely curious about that.

"I wanted him to come to terms with his feelings for himself. Besides, using my Legillimency for such a reason seemed a little overhanded. Speaking of which, I heard you were the one who gave him the final nudge." Lizzy told her. _Huh, maybe she shouldn't have made the first move either!_

"Yes. And you are most welcome, by the way." Hermione replied.

"Yeah, it was very generous of you to do that. And to agree to be Andrew's date." Lizzy said, teasingly.

"A date? We are simply going as friends." Hermione shot back, surprised.

Lizzy looked confused for a bit before she asked her in a careful voice, "You cleared that bit for him, didn't you?"

Thinking back now, Hermione could see that it was a mistake on her part to not clarify that point to Andrew. But then, she had thought that must've been clear enough.

"I didn't, exactly. But he doesn't think we have a date, or does he?" Hermione asked, sheepishly.

"So you're saying that you don't fancy Andrew at all?" Lizzy asked.

 _Wait, where did that come from?_

"No. Why would you even assume that?" Hermione asked, shocked.

Lizzy looked thoughtful as she answered. "It's just that, well, Andrew's had a thing for you ever since you joined our little group. I was hopeful you two would, you know, eventually fall for each other. And you had this lost look about you these last few days. Apparently, I was only right about one side."

"What? Andrew? And me?" Hermione blurted out.

Lizzy nodded, a bit guiltily.

"I'll have to clear it up with Andrew, I guess." Hermione mused.

"Yes. But don't just outright tell him about all this, Hermione. Perhaps, you should wait for the gala night." Lizzy advised.

Hermione was against the idea, since she didn't want to drag the thing any further. But, then she thought that the least she owed him was a dance since she had already agreed to go with him. It couldn't hurt to wait a few more days. Besides, telling him now would just spoil the mood for everyone for the whole of Conference.

After a while, Lizzy came around to another surprising declaration.

"You know, Hermione. Jessica hides it rather well, but I think she's always had a spot for Andrew." she confided.

"And you were still hoping for me to fall for Andrew?" Hermione couldn't help retorting.

"Well, you know how Jessica is and then Andrew is just the complete opposite." Lizzy said.

"Love can be an unpredictable thing, Liz. You can never quite predict who anyone's going to end up with." Hermione replied, much from her own experience.

"You're right. I am sorry. Just because I'm a Legillimens, doesn't mean I can play matchmaker." Lizzy said, apologetically.

"You didn't exactly do anything, Liz. You don't need to apologize to me. In fact, thanks to you, now I am finally aware of what is going on with Andrew." Hermione said, sadly.

"Yeah, well. Enough about all that. Lets just enjoy this movie for now." Lizzy said, trying to cheer her up. You couldn't really live in America without getting addicted to movies.

"Which movie is it again?" Hermione asked.

"Skyfall. I guessed you'll like this one." Lizzy said, with a sly smile.

"Ah, a Bond movie! I think I'll like it fine." Hermione said happily and they both spent the next couple of hours watching the famous British spy taking on the villain.

The group, along with their manager, left for Chicago the next day by a pre-arranged portkey which had been specially arranged for them. They were shown to a very grand looking magical hotel, as their stay was of a week's duration. They were all directed to their specific rooms after their manager made it clear to them that any misbehavior on their part which could reflect badly on their company was going to cost them their jobs. That, however did not lessen the excitement of Hermione's colleagues. It seemed, they were all too used to their manager's strict lectures.

Hermione did catch a glimpse of Mr. Prince at the keynote address of the Conference, but she did not get a chance to meet or talk to him. He was seated right in the front row while the employees were all seated at the back. Hermione was however, relieved that he looked well and unharmed.

The Conference rolled on and Hermione found herself enjoying various speeches, presentations and exhibitions. She still couldn't get a chance to clear things out with Severus though. The initial relief had soon turned into frustration and then anger when Severus did not make any attempt at conversing with her, neither in person nor via e-mail. It had been him who had told her to wait till they could talk in person, but somehow it seemed now that Hermione had turned invisible for him these days. As if he was deliberately trying to avoid her. Her heart burned just by thinking about it all.

When the gala night arrived, Hermione had lost any desire of going to the party at all. However, as she had already promised Andrew that she would go with him and it would be rude to ditch him at the last minute, she reluctantly took out the package Jessica and Lizzy had bought for her.

 _Huh, I am never going to ask them to shop for me again, that's for sure!_

Suffice it to say, Hermione herself would never have bought this dress by her own free will. Perhaps, Jessica and Lizzy too had thought the same. The dress was gorgeous, but not in a Hermione kind of way, more like Jessica kind of way! It was a sleeveless dress made of black satin, with a generous neckline. The dress had a snug fit up to the waist, and then it had a slight flair, going well above her knees. And it fit her perfectly!

 _Didn't Severus tell me once that black was his favorite color? Well, screw him! I'm just going to have fun tonight without thinking of him!_

The stunned look on Andrew's face when he saw her and his stuttering voice when he greeted her, told Hermione a lot about how she was looking tonight. She shot him a wide smile before linking her arms through his and making her way towards the ballroom.

As fate would have it, they passed a group of extravagantly dressed gentlemen in the hallway, Mr. Prince among them. He was dressed in the usual black, looking handsome as ever. When Hermione spotted him, she noticed that his eyes were fixed on her arm which was currently linked with Andrew's. Her first thought was, _is he jealous? Even if he is, it serves him right!_

Hermione found the rest of the group already at the table by the bar. She was pretty sure it had been Dylan's idea.

"Wow, just as we had imagined it!" Lizzy exclaimed when she saw her, sharing a knowing smile with Jessica.

Instead of complaining, Hermione merely gave them a grateful smile. "Thank you. Both of you."

"Did we miss something here?" Tyler questioned. Andrew and Dylan too looked equally confused at their words.

"Nothing, guys. Looks like Hermione here is in a good mood tonight. Let's keep it at that, shall we?" Lizzy said. Hermione noticed that Andrew was looking very happy with her words. _Ah, so much for a heart break!_

It wasn't hard to find him, even in the dim lights of the ballroom. Mr. Prince was surrounded by a group of Conference officials, absorbed in conversation. Hermione noticed that he was facing towards her, but she never found him looking at her directly.

"You know, he hasn't stopped looking at you since he arrived." Lizzy whispered quietly in Hermione's ears. The others seemed to be absorbed in another converstation.

"What do you mean, Liz?" Hermione whispered back.

"Oh, don't play coy with me, 'Mione. The one you are trying to steal glances at."

Hermione sighed. "I don't care about what he is doing. And you shouldn't either."

And then, excusing herself to get a drink, Hermione made her way towards the bar, only to bump into someone very unexpected.

"Ah, Goodness Gracious! It's you Miss Granger!" came the familiarly cheerful voice of her former potions professor.

Hermione turned around to see Professor Slughorn looking every bit like he did the last time she saw him, beaming at her.

"Hello, professor. It's nice to see you, after all these years." She told him.

"And it's nice to see you too, Miss Granger. And you look lovely, as usual! It's been many years, is it not? You have been hidden from our world for a while. I've always had such high hopes for you, Miss Granger and I know that you'll not prove me wrong. Goodness gracious, do you know my dear girl, when I took up the subject from Severus Snape, he only had good things to say about you and that alone says enough about your abilities. Poor man, he was always so very secretive, dear old Severus was! Even I had no clue what danger he'd been putting himself through, for the sake of the rest of us!

And what a pleasant surprise it is to chance upon you here in a Potions Conference, of all places! I've been avoiding this event for years. But, now I am glad I came this time around." The professor chattered on. However, Hermione's mind was stuck to the part that Severus had praised her. _And solely because of my abilities!_

"Yes, professor. This Conference certainly seems full of the most famous Potions experts that are presently in the field." Hermione agreed.

"The event itself is very well organized. I've heard that some American company called 'Prince Pharmaceuticals' has taken up the task this time. I must admit, I am impressed. I've been looking forward to meeting the famous Mr. Prince himself, but it seems he's not attending at all." Slughorn went on, gloomily.

Hermione had to suppress her snort with a great deal of effort. _I sure want to be present when Professor Slughorn finally meets Mr. Prince! That would be a most interesting encounter. Should I point him in his direction myself? That would be going too far, I guess!_

"So, professor? Are you staying here till the closing event?" Hermione asked, changing the topic.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. A man at my age, can only afford so many days abroad. Besides, I rather prefer my quiet retirement. But, then it was a refreshing break from my usual life." Slughorn replied.

And then, they were interrupted by some former students of the professor, and Hermione was only happy to return back to her conversation with her friends with a drink.

"Who was that, Hermione?" Andrew asked, as soon as she returned to their table.

"Oh, that was my former Potions professor." Hermione replied.

"Well, he did do a great job." Dylan winked. _Ah great, he's already drunk!_

"Huh, Andrew here was almost worried if your ex-Potions professor was going to steal you away from him!" Tyler snickered, to a blushing Andrew.

Lizzy looked down guiltily at that comment while Jessica turned her attention to her drink. Hermione too decided to do the same.

" _You just need to know when to stop, or just have me around to help you whenever you are feeling the urge to get intoxicated."_ Severus's words echoed through her mind as she picked up her glass and she put it back down immediately.

Hermione could see that her friends were not shying away from the alcohol, but she resisted the urge to drink. She will not be left vulnerable again. Andrew had taken quite a few drinks when he asked her for a dance. Inspite of that, she agreed and soon they were both dancing slowly to the music.

 _... And your eyes, your eyes, your eyes_

 _They tell me how much you care_

 _Ooh yes,_

 _You will always be_

 _My endless love..._

Despite his drunken state, Andrew proved to be an efficient dance partner. However, the song brought her memories from the night when she had danced with Severus at the Masquerade Ball and she couldn't help smiling at that. Even though she had no romantic feelings for the man then, she still had an amazing time with him. And now, she felt like she had lost him for good. She glanced over Andrew's shoulders to see Mr. Prince still surrounded by important looking men, holding a glass of drink in his hand. _He won't even look at me in the eye!_

"Um, Andrew?"

"Yes, Hermione."

"I need a bit of fresh air. Do you mind?"

"No, not at all."

Hermione made her way to the garden area, which was attached to the ballroom and breathed in the quiet night air. She couldn't help but think about Severus. _Why was he avoiding her? Will he continue to act like she didn't exist? That their friendship didn't exist?_ Why?

She was starting to feel sick even without an ounce of alcohol in her system. And it was all because of thinking about Severus! Do people usually feel this way when their feelings are not reciprocated?

"Hermione, there you are! Are you alright?" came Andrew's concerned voice from behind her. Hermione realized that she had spent too much of time outside.

"Yes, I'm alright." She managed to say. However, inside she was almost on the verge of crying.

"Hey, since we are alone here. I wanted to say something. I really like you, Hermione." Andrew started.

 _Oh, no! Not this! Not here!_

"And I have a feeling that you feel the same way about me. Well, you really made a great effort at showing that tonight." Andrew continued, though his voice sounded a bit slurry.

Hermione could feel his hand on her waist and he was now turning her slowly to face him. _Damn, it's too dark! And judging by his breath, he's drunk too!_

"Andrew.."

But Hermione was cut off even before she had started to speak.

"Shh.. I know."

And his lips came down on hers. Hermione had cramped her mouth shut before he could press further. She managed to break away from him with some effort.

"No, Andrew. I really don't like you that way. And I definitely didn't want to kiss you. Sorry, but that's how it is." Hermione told him quietly.

But her words didn't seem to have any effect on him.

"You don't even know it yourself yet, Hermione. Just let me show you." Andrew insisted.

"No, Andrew. I don't think you are in a right state to have a proper conversation right now. _NO!_ " Hermione cried, when it seemed he was going in for another attempt at a kiss. _Damn it, Andrew! Please don't make me use my wand!_

"I think the lady said no." came a deep voice from the darkness. Thankfully, Andrew was too shocked by the interruption and Hermione was quick to steer away from him. And it was a good thing that she did, because a moment later Andrew fell back to the ground with a loud thud, apparently hit by a stunner.

Hermione turned to her rescuer who was now close enough to reveal his face; it was none other than Mr. Prince. Even in the scarce light, she could clearly see the anger glinting in his dark eyes.

"Do you like to kiss _all_ of your friends, Miss Granger?" He asked in a cold voice.

* * *

 **Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the review section! The next chapter is a special one, I promise! ;)**


	22. Confessions of the Heart

**So the next chapter is here! A shorter chapter this time but I hope you'll forgive me because 3rd June is almost here and I really need to clear this exam. Thank you for all of your wishes. And I also can't thank you enough for writing such amazing reviews and cheering me on to keep writing more and more. Every new chapter is owed to each one of your heartfelt reviews, it's where I find my inspiration and confidence from.**

 **PhantomBove, I dearly wish I had Hermione's affinity for course books. I mean I love reading books, just not the prescribed texts. I guess I'll just have to try harder to channel my inner Granger anyways! Thank you for the encouragement. I always look forward to your reviews. :)**

 **I solely wrote this chapter because I didn't want to leave you hanging with a cliffy for long. And I know some of you have been waiting for this confrontation for a long while. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter.**

 **PS: There's no cliffhanger this time around.**

* * *

 _Miss Granger?_ Hermione simply stared at the furious Mr. Prince in disbelief. _How come he gets to be angry at me?_

"Tell me Miss Granger, do you _usually_ kiss all of your friends or was he the lucky one?" Mr. Prince asked again. His voice was scathing, as if he was accusing her of something.

 _He did hear me say 'no' to him, didn't he? It's really impossible to understand him; I give up!_

"Actually you know what, tonight is the lucky night. I am offering free kisses." She retorted, sarcastically.

However, that comment seemed to anger him even further.

"Is that so?" His voice was low and intimidating.

Hermione could see that his eyes were glinting dangerously with a barely controlled anger, as he stalked towards her.

"Then I would be a fool not to take you up on that offer."

Just as Hermione realized the meaning of his words, he had grasped her shoulders tightly and had crashed his own lips down at hers.

Once she lost herself into the feel of his demanding lips; all of her frustration, all of her worries, all of her thoughts, seemed to disappear from her mind. He tasted of FireWhiskey, but it was all solely Severus who was making her lose her sanity. He was still fueled with his anger and Hermione could taste it in the way he was kissing her. She started responding to his kiss with all the passion she suddenly felt surging up inside of her. Their tongues battled for dominance and she placed her hand into his hair, clutching him with the other for support. She felt his anger dissipate from him as their kiss progressed and his grip on her shoulders relaxed.

After a while, they detached themselves from each other, short for breath. He placed his forehead against hers and sighed.

"I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry!"

Hermione looked up to see that his eyes were closed and there was a defeated expression on his face. So she said, "I'm glad you did! I think I actually needed that."

 _And in the end, all it took was Andrew forcing himself on me for you to finally come to me. Fate surely works in mysterious ways!_

"You don't have to lie to make me feel better, Hermione. I saw you with O'Brien tonight. I could tell that you were having a good time. I saw your smile when were dancing with him." He said, in a barely controlled voice.

"I was smiling because I was reminded of the time I danced with you on the same song that night at the Masquerade Ball. In fact, I wished it was you there holding me rather than Andrew." Hermione explained.

He looked in her eyes, confusion evident in those dark bottomless pools.

"Andrew is just a friend, Severus. I tried to explain that to him after he tried to kiss me earlier but he was not in the right state to understand. And, you… You are different. I've never felt the same way for anyone else before. I think I am falling in love with you." She admitted softly.

He looked into her eyes for a long minute, probably trying to find anything to contradict her words.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

Hermione could hear the desperation clearly in his voice. And she knew him well enough that nothing else would put his mind at ease until he was sure. Right now, he appeared to be the man whose long lost dreams had come true but was hesitant to believe it lest all of it fell apart.

"Look for yourself, Severus." She offered. Bringing her memories to the forefront of her mind, she gazed confidently into his eyes, dropping her Occlumency shields.

Even though he didn't say the incantation aloud, she felt exactly when he had entered her mind. She replayed the night they had celebrated his birthday inside her head, complete with exactly how she had felt when they had shared their first kiss. She went on to play how the next days had passed for her, how there wasn't a single moment she hadn't thought of him, when there was no news of him for days. And just how relieved she had felt when she had seen him the first day of the Conference. She replayed how she had felt during the dance tonight, how she had missed dancing with him. She relived how repulsed she had felt when Andrew had tried to kiss her forcibly and how she was invigorated when Severus had kissed her.

Severus gently withdrew from her mind. And then, he leaned to kiss her again.

The kiss was slow this time. But it burned through Hermione just the same. His hand had snaked its way around her waist, when he swiped his tongue inside her mouth. They explored each other's mouths thoroughly. Hermione felt that she would never tire of kissing him. But they broke apart eventually.

"Perhaps we should get inside." Severus suggested, once Hermione shivered in the cold night air. She wasn't exactly dressed for a late night stroll outside.

"I don't want to back to the ballroom right now." Hermione insisted. _And part from you already? I don't think so! It's not that we can waltz inside holding hands inside the ballroom together. There is still a huge gap between our social status!_

"Not to the ballroom then. But, I really think it's time we have a conversation." Severus reminded her. _Oh, the explanations! Now that is a nice incentive!_

"Fine." Hermione agreed.

She gasped in surprise when Severus suddenly put his hand around her waist and pulled her close to him. Before she could ask him what he intended to do, they were both flying up away from the garden. As they flew up towards the top floor windows, Hermione couldn't help gripping him tighter. She had always been wary of flying and this sudden trip wasn't helping the matters.

She heard Severus whisper a spell to open the window to his Suite and finally to her relief, her feet touched the solid ground once again.

"That was…" Hermione paused, to think of a word to describe the experience. One moment, she was confessing her deeply felt feelings to the man she loved and the next he had literally swept her along for an impromptu flight. Her mind was already jumbled up with emotions.

"Flying." Severus chuckled at her stricken expression as he took off his coat.

"Show off." Hermione muttered under her breath.

Severus shrugged and shook his head, as he led her to a spacious looking sitting area. He pointed to the sofa by the fireplace and said, "Please make yourself comfortable, Hermione."

They sat by the fire silently for a while. Hermione found Severus gazing into the fire, lost in contemplation. She guessed that he was waiting for her questions.

"Um, why have you been avoiding me these last few days, Severus?" Hermione finally asked him.

Severus winced slightly before answering, and she was glad that he wasn't hiding his emotions from her again.

"I know now, how you felt during the last few days, and I'm sorry for hurting you, Hermione."

Hermione had almost opened her mouth to protest at his apology but he cut her off.

"No, please don't try to defend me again. I saw everything through your mind." He sighed, before speaking again.

"Honestly, I didn't know what to say to you. I had no idea about how you felt about the whole situation. I decided to give you some space to come to terms with what had happened before I finally apologized to you.

That was the first time I had felt something so intimate and I did not know whether it was appropriate for me to even feel that way. I was so sure that you were simply granting me the luxury of that kiss because it was my birthday.

I just couldn't understand how to even approach you or what to say without making things worse. Perhaps, I was too scared of the possibility of losing my only friend. I couldn't risk that again."

Hermione could hear the pain in his voice clearly when he was talking about losing their friendship and she knew that she had not been alone in suffering the heartache these last days. She held both of his hands and squeezed them gently with hers.

"You don't have to think about losing anything, Severus. I am right here, and I promise that nothing is ever going to ruin our friendship. I did promise you once that I would always hear you out first before jumping to any conclusions, didn't I?

Besides, you know now how I really feel about you. If you had just tried talking to me instead of avoiding me, we could've saved so much time."

Severus appeared satisfied by her answer but did not reply with anything else but a small nod and a grateful smile.

"Okay, so where were you the immediate week after your birthday?" Hermione asked, remembering his email where he had said that he had gone out of town.

Severus turned his eyes away from hers and replied. "At home."

"You're lying." Hermione concluded.

His eyes flashed back to hers in surprise. "I don't lie, Hermione."

"Well, you're obviously trying to hide something, then." She narrowed her eyes, trying to catch something from his impenetrable mask.

"I was staying _at_ my home in LA." He finally told her, but did not elaborate further.

Hermione usually wasn't the prying kind, but somehow she had a feeling that this was important for her to know so she asked him, "And what were you doing in LA?"

Severus took his time answering the question. Perhaps, he was debating whether to tell her the truth, the _complete_ truth or not. Finally he sighed, and told her the truth.

"I was trying to negotiate a deal with the Scourers. As a matter of fact, it was you who gave me the insight about how to approach them. You had pointed it out to me that they care only about money and well, I am more than resourceful in that department."

"You mean when you were gone for two entire weeks, you were trying to strike a deal with the Scourers? I seem to recall them being quite dangerous, Severus. You do have the habit of running into dangerous situations, don't you?" Hermione said in a disapproving tone.

"Well, not exactly like a Gryffindor though. In fact, they finally agreed on an agreement with me. They will keep our identities to themselves as long as they are being paid." Severus told her. He seemed to hope that Hermione would approve of his strategy once she knew of his success. She wasn't.

"Well, the next time you go on such a dangerous mission all by yourself, please inform me about it first, or better take me along." Hermione grumbled.

"It was the best course of action, Hermione. I couldn't really sit around and risk your life while those Scourers ran free. At least I can be sure now that they are not going to come after you any minute." Severus shot back.

Hermione caught the evident worry in his words and couldn't help her smile. "Hm, you really care about me so much, Severus?"

Severus let his mask down and looked at her. She could see the adoration clearly in his fathomless deep eyes.

"More than anything else. You know, the day you came to my office for your interview, I thought I was giving you a chance to change your life. I didn't know that I had given the chance to myself. You have changed my life, Hermione.

"When I first came to this country, I had decided to use my talents for making a positive change in the lives of some people, and that's why I started a Pharmaceuticals company. As the time progressed, I lost myself in the work and my only goal was to take this company to new heights of success. But, even after I had achieved that, there was this emptiness inside of me that craved for someone else. Even though I was content, I never felt happy."

"And then you came along. I had been suspicious of you at first, as it is in my nature. But you were the same brave and smart woman you always were, when I knew you as a student. Your warm and pure friendship has been more than a healing charm for me. There was nothing I could've done to keep myself from falling in love with you. The time I've spent with you have undoubtedly been the happiest of my life. I have been content with loving you from a distance, and I never even dared to hope that you might feel the same way about me. Surprisingly, you do."

Hermione would've doubted these extravagant words, if not for the sincerity in Severus's eyes when he said them. His words had a warmth to them which seemed to comfort her from within. He still looked troubled with something.

"I am sensing there's something else you want to add."

"Yes, you don't deserve a man like me, Hermione. You deserve someone better." He said, softly.

Hermione couldn't help but scoff. "Yes, because someone like Andrew is so much better; is that what you're trying to imply?"

Severus sighed in exasperation. "You already know about my past, Hermione. Wherever I go, the shadow of some danger always seems to follow me. I don't want…" But, she cut him off.

"I have my own fair share of enemies, Severus. And I am very much capable to handle them on my own. As I recall, it was you that saved both of our lives the last time we were in danger. Do you really think that leaving me by myself will keep me protected?"

Hermione knew that her logic was foolproof, but she could see Severus was still trying to find a loophole.

"Just be honest Severus, what is the _real_ reason you are so hesitant to the idea of us getting together?"

He shut his eyes momentarily and when he opened them, he was looking down at their hands.

"If you leave out the brief infatuation with Lily, I've never been romantically involved with anyone. My first sexual experience was when I joined the Death Eaters. And to put it mildly, they took great delight in educating me in their ways. I was never fond of being with Imperio'd women, but that's what I've had to do to keep my cover intact. Let me just say, I've always known sex as a form of release and compulsion, nothing else.

I've… never known love, Hermione. I'm not even sure I am capable of it anymore."

 _Wow, there are still some parts of him that I've never known. Oh, Severus! You deserve to experience every pleasure in the world. It breaks my heart to know how much you have endured, so that people like me could have a better life. But, now is not the time to cry about my feelings, my tears are only going to scare you away further._

Severus glanced up at her uncertainly, when Hermione had gone silent after his confessions. She knew that he was worried about her reaction.

"Severus, I just need you to answer one thing." She started.

At his nod, she asked him, "Do you want to see me happy?"

He looked surprised at her question. "Of course, Hermione."

"Then, you need to promise me that you will give a chance to _us_. Nothing has to change much, we are still going to be friends and talk to each other like we are used to. There is this one thing, no suppressing your feelings inside yourself anymore. I know that this will be new for you but you just need to give in to your own emotions. Will you do that for me?" Hermione looked at him expectantly.

Severus was looking at her in wonder. "What did I do to deserve you? Of course, I will do that. I'll do anything you ask of me, Hermione."

"Actually, _you deserve someone better_." Hermione answered, using his own words against him. "Besides, I _want_ you Mr. Prince. And I never give up anything I want without a fight." She added, entwining her fingers with his.

"You know, that was a very Slytherin thing to say." Severus pointed.

"Well, you would know all about that, wouldn't you? So, tell me Severus. What would a Slytherin do if he has a woman in his rooms at this late hour, the one who he has just confessed his feelings to?" She raised her eyebrow, challenging him.

He caught the daring look in her eyes and moved closer to her. "A smart Slytherin would definitely take advantage of the situation."

"You aren't very smart then, are you?" Hermione shot back, moving closer so that they were merely inches apart.

"Careful what you wish for, love." He whispered into her hair.

They were almost hugging now and Hermione could breathe in his delicious scent. They were both pressing against their entwined fingers and her heart skipped a beat at the turn the night seemed to be taking.

Hermione moved her head so that she could look at Severus. The fire in his eyes made it clear to her of what he desired. So without much ado, she kissed his waiting lips. She did not even realize when her hand went around his back, pressing him to her. The next thing she knew she was beneath Severus on the sofa, engaged in a heated kiss. They were pressed together in a close embrace and it was then that Severus kissed the nape of her neck and found the invisible chain of her necklace.

"You kept it! All this while!" He exclaimed in surprise, stopping to look at her.

"Of course, I did. You gave it to me, remember?" Hermione answered.

Severus did not say anything further but he let go of her and got up from the sofa. He walked towards the fireplace and stood there before the fireplace with his back to her. Hermione was left annoyed at his abrupt behavior. She did however took off her necklace, thinking it was what had caused this change in him and placed it securely on the coffee table in front of her.

 _Why is he still fighting to keep his control? Maybe it's not that easy for him, I'll just have to try harder._

Determined, she got up herself and went to stand in front of him. Taking one of his hands in her own, she wrapped his other hand around her waist. To a confused looking Severus, she spoke, "Dance with me, Severus."

"There's no use telling you that there is no music here, I assume?" He chuckled, as he started leading her to a slow step.

"Exactly, just follow your heart." Hermione instructed, placing her hand on his chest. "And dim the lights, if you will." She added.

Severus chuckled at her last words, but did exactly as she had asked him to, whispering another spell. The room was now lit with a low golden light.

"Better." Hermione said with a smile, registering her approval.

Their dancing picked up its pace gradually, pretty much like the time it had on his birthday night. They were both trying to get closer to each other with each turn, taking advantage of each step to explore more of each other's bodies with their hands.

They had gotten so close now that they could breathe in the other's rapid breaths when Hermione asked him, "What do you see when you look into my eyes, Severus?"

Severus seemed to see through her soul when he gazed into her eyes. However, she was pretty sure that he wasn't using Legillimency. His eyes seemed to light up and he swirled her around for a sudden spin and then pulled her tight against himself. Their lips found each other in a perfectly synchronized move and Hermione was sure that this time he won't hold himself back.

She made use of her hands to hold him closer to her as she pressed herself against him. His hand was now slowly moving down towards her hips and her breasts were pressing against his firm chest. She didn't even realize that they were still moving until Severus found himself backed against a wall. In the next second, he had turned around with an amazing speed and then a startled gasp escaped her as she felt herself pressed against the cold hard surface of the wall. She didn't really mind this change.

The night was only getting started.

* * *

 **Well, we all know what comes next! Which of you are excited for some lemons? Or perhaps, I should simply skip them and carry on with the storyline.**

 **And please do leave a review telling me about all of your thoughts! They are definitely going to be a welcome distraction during my study breaks.**


	23. Love Me Like You Do

**I'll leave the A/Ns to the end of the chapter, because I know that some of you have been waiting too eagerly for this one. I've added the last bits of the previous chapter because it's been a long time since an update (Totally my fault, I accept!).**

 **Also I warn you, this chapter is intended for mature readers only. It can be totally skipped in case any of you are not of age.**

 **Without further ado, read on..**

 _ **Previously**_

 _"What do you see when you look into my eyes, Severus?"_

 _Severus seemed to see through her soul when he gazed into her eyes. However, she was pretty sure that he wasn't using Legillimency. His eyes seemed to light up and he swirled her around for a sudden spin and then pulled her tight against himself. Their lips found each other in a perfectly synchronized move and Hermione was sure that this time he won't hold himself back._

 _She made use of her hands to hold him close as she pressed herself against him. His hand was now slowly moving down towards her hips and her breasts were pressing against his firm chest. She didn't even realize that they were still moving until Severus found himself backed against a wall. In the next second, he had turned around with an amazing speed and then a startled gasp escaped her as she felt herself pressed against the cold hard surface of the wall. She didn't really mind this change._

 _The night was only getting started._

* * *

Hermione was sure that she was losing her grip on reality as she felt herself melt into Severus's heady kisses and the fire his hands were arousing everywhere they went. She was quite content to be trapped between the cold, hard wall and the warm, sturdy arms of Mr. Prince, who had finally overcome his apprehensions and given in to his desires. The intense contrast between the temperatures made her feel like she was aflame, from the fire which was starting to build inside her.

Severus turned his attention away from her lips and moved downwards, kissing her neck. His hands too, were busy sculpting her body over her scanty dress. Hermione let out a breath as Severus's lips sucked in the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck. She responded by slowly snaking her heel clad leg up his trousers. Severus welcomed this gesture by moving his hand towards her knee, and started tracing her thigh, gathering the fabric of her dress as he went upwards.

And just when Hermione was getting comfortable with the pace they were getting, a sudden wave of pleasure coursed through her as Severus grazed her collarbone with his teeth, earning a loud gasp from her. She could feel him smiling at her reaction but she didn't feel the need to respond, other than her pulling him still closer by wrapping her leg around his waist.

Severus pressed still closer, placing her firmly between him and the wall, forcing her leg back down and trapping them with his. Hermione found herself unable to move now, and saw Severus looking at her triumphantly. She tried to move her hands but Severus gripped them with his own hands and held them against the wall.

"No escaping now, Miss Granger!" He said, in his silky, warning voice. They were so close that she could feel his warm breath on her mouth when he spoke.

Hermione knew that he was still giving her a chance to back away. However, because of their present intimate position, she could feel his arousal pricking into her stomach, which gave her all the confidence she needed that what they were doing was right.

"Who says I want to escape, Mr. Prince?" She asked defiantly, quirking one eyebrow at him, imitating his own style.

Without giving him a chance to further reply, she kissed him. Even though she was completely trapped, unable to move any other part of her body, Hermione kissed him with complete abandonment. Of course, if she really wanted to get away from him, being a competent witch with some wandless skills, she could've managed it very easily.

 _But, do I really want to?_ The answer had come instantly to her. _Hell, no!_

Instead, she was ready to choose Severus over every restrictions. She was even willing to be on the losing side, to even lose control of everything, when it came to him. It was then that she realized, how far she had fallen in love with him.

Severus's grip on her had loosened; but he didn't let her hands go, entwining their fingers instead. He was responding to her kiss with equal fervor himself, much to Hermione's delight. He let go of her hands after a while, and took a step back, pulling Hermione off the wall with him.

Holding her steady with one of his arms, Severus pulled off her dress with the other and threw it on the floor. For once, Hermione was surprised at his efficiency, when she was left standing with nothing but her heels and underclothes.

Meanwhile, Severus had taken a few steps back. He was still fully clothed, only his shirt had managed to come undone from his trousers. Nevertheless, his hair, his lips and his rumpled clothing still bore witness of their activities. And then Hermione looked at his eyes and forgot everything else.

Severus was eyeing her body with such uninhibited desire and appreciation that she felt herself blushing. Some long forgotten conversation with Lizzy and Jessica flashed to her mind when they had both forced her to buy this sultry set of underwear. For all she knew she was wearing a set of black tulle, embellished with embroidery. She would have to remember to thank them for making her see this look into his eyes. It was all worth every penny she had spent on this expensive pair.

"See something you like, Mr. Prince?" Hermione asked him in a teasing voice, finally breaking the spell.

His mouth turned slowly into a feral lopsided smile, as he looked at her face. "Have I ever told you, that black is my favorite color, Miss Granger?" He said, before he started walking towards her in a slow, predatory gait.

The determined glint in his eyes made Hermione want to play with him some more. She gave him an answering grin and started taking a step backwards, with each of his forward steps. In retrospect, she should've looked where she was heading, but then she wanted her eye on Severus. _The man c_ _an_ _fly after all! He can overcome me anytime he wants_ _to_ _,_ _at least I'll have an idea when!_

Severus didn't seem to mind this little game, still keeping his slow pace towards her while maintaining their eye contact. Hermione soon understood his strategy when she found her way blocked, this time by a wooden table behind her. He had been simply waiting for her to get stuck. She eventually had to peel her eyes off him when she turned to get a good look behind her. An innocent looking empty table was the only thing blocking her way, she simply had to change her course. But she didn't get the time to.

Severus had put his arms around her, caging her to the table, keeping his distance at the same time.

"I did give you a chance to escape, Miss Granger!" He whispered in her ear, his breath sending a warm tingle through her body.

Hermione however, had something else to worry about. "I think you are a bit overdressed!" She remarked in a light tone, ignoring his remark.

It was Severus, whose movements were restricted this time and Hermione intended to make use of it. She started unbuttoning his shirt, one button at a time.

Severus was growing impatient at her slow pace. "And you choose this moment to care for my shirts!" He finally growled, when she couldn't get his shirt off of him because of his immovable arms.

"Okay, I'll just leave your shirt on then!" Hermione answered, and directed her attention to his trousers instead. She didn't get too far, because Severus caught her hands just as she undid his button and pulled her in for a searing kiss.

The kiss was fierce this time, full of need and desperation. Hermione was overwhelmed by the passion that she felt coming from him. It was arousing to see his yearning conveyed by his frantic movements. He gradually claimed her neck, her chestbone, kissing every inch of her skin he could find. His hands too were all over her body, this time roughly groping her bare form impatiently and pulling her still closer to him. Hermione had become lost in his kisses and his touch yet again until she felt him stop suddenly when his hand reached the hem of her panty.

"Do you have any idea how much I want you, Hermione?" Severus whispered, as he slipped one finger through the lace and started circling her.

Hermione's breathing was ragged, but she still managed to say. "Show me, then!"

As if in answer, he thrust his finger inside her, earning a gasp from her. He held her steady with one hand as her back arched in response to his talented fingers. His pace quickened, driving Hermione crazy with each thrust, until he stopped quite abruptly.

In a flash, Hermione was lying onto the table on her stomach. The next instance, her panties came off and Severus proceeded to carefully remove them through her heels. Before she knew what was going on, she felt him bending onto her back, pushing her hair away, before he whispered into her ear, "Do you really want to do this?"

There was no hesitation in Hermione's voice when she answered. "Please."

He bit her earlobe lightly, sending another quiver of apprehension of what was to come, before he moved away. She felt him approach her behind and she almost squealed when he grabbed her ass tightly with his hands. She then felt his hand travel down to spread her legs apart, and the next thing she knew, he plunged inside her with a quick thrust.

 _Wow!_ Hermione felt him stretch her to the fullest, and moaned as he started moving, slowly at first. She clutched at the side of the table with her hands to keep herself steady. Apparently, he was quite big and sturdy, more than what she had ever encountered. _And Merlin, it was bliss!_

There was nothing dreamy or romantic about them having sex for this first time, simply a physical connection involving the basest of desires. His movements were measured and controlled, almost mechanical. She understood some of what Severus had said earlier when he had described his own experience about sex. And yet, lying on the table, with her breasts though still secured by her bra, rubbing against the hard surface with each of his plunges, Hermione was still having the best night of her life.

She felt his hand on her hips, restraining her movements, and then Severus increased his speed. _Oh, my!_ His fast movements resulted in scraping her clitoris against the edge of the table. Between her moans muffled by the table, he pounded on relentlessly with occasional groans of his own. Hermione soon felt herself quiver as her climax started to build. She felt Severus freeze just as she lost her awareness to her own orgasm.

Hermione felt Severus pulling out of her as she came down from her high. The sense of loss was surprisingly palpable. Taking a minute to get herself together, she finally stood up on her still staggering feet to look at the man before her. It felt a bit odd, since she was currently just in her brassiere and a pair of heels, her panties lost on the floor somewhere. Even so, it wasn't the time to be self-conscious anymore.

Severus had a closed expression on his face, the mask Hermione was so very used to. However, it was not a good sign. She noted that his shirt was still hanging on, unbuttoned. Even his trousers were back on. That made her frown.

"So, that's it, then?" She asked, not making any effort to hide her displeasure.

Severus did not reply. He was merely looking at her, as if trying to gauze her reaction.

"I thought we were having a good time, Severus!" She finally added, when she found no reply.

"You don't have to say that just to placate me, Hermione. I did try to warn you before." Severus said in a low voice.

"Are you saying that you did not enjoy that? Because I certainly did." Hermione retorted, her voice rising just a bit.

Severus closed his eyes, hung his head and sighed. "I've never had a better night."

His words, laced with sincerity, washed away her bad mood. She moved closer to him and lifted his chin, causing him to look into her eyes. "I don't think you need to legillimate me to know that I want you, Severus."

He bent and kissed her, slow and relieved this time. Hermione felt him put his arms around her possessively, and her heart warmed. They stood kissing like that for a while, relishing in each other's embrace.

"You really are a wonder, Hermione. I'm extremely lucky to have you." He spoke, when they finally broke apart.

These were such simple words and yet they made Hermione smile radiantly at him. Nobody had ever appreciated her like this before, and coming from the man that she loved and adored, she felt like the happiest person in the world.

"I'm sorry that I can't offer you everything that you deserve." Severus added in a low voice.

Hermione put her finger on his lips, and silenced him from admonishing himself further. "I want you, Severus. And now you're going to know just how much. You just have to let go of your control, do you understand me?"

At his nod, she removed her finger from his lips and took his hand, leading him towards the large bed. Severus did look incredulous but he did not say anything.

"Please have a seat, Mr. Prince." Hermione requested, when they reached the edge of the bed. It was his own room, and the irony was not lost on her either.

Severus gave her an amused look, but complied. Hermione took off her shoes, and then came over to stand between his parted legs. Giving him a coy glance, she proceeded to sit in his lap, winding her legs around his waist, straddling him. She moved one hand through his hair and held his back with the other for support. And then she kissed him.

Hermione felt his hand snaking through her back and on her bare hip, as their kiss progressed. She started moving her hips slowly, earning a gasp from the man. When Severus gradually became completely engrossed in her movements, she made use of her hands to relieve him of his shirt. He pulled her closer to him using his hand at her back, crushing her clothed breasts to his bare chest. However, Hermione soon managed to push him onto the bed, and climbed on top of him.

When Severus started to voice his protest, she shut him up with her mouth again. Keeping him busy with the kiss, she managed to undo his trousers. Breaking away from his mouth now, she moved down to his throat, kissing it softly. Not wanting him to become aware of his deathly encounter with Nagini just yet, she quickly moved further down, trapping his hands in hers, restricting them. She kissed his bare chest, before giving ample attention to his nipples. She kissed and grazed them with her teeth, and was rewarded by his gasps. Satisfied, she moved downwards, trailing kisses everywhere in her wake.

She kissed and sucked in his navel, and finally took off his trousers to reveal his black briefs. She looked at Severus whose eyes had lighted in the arousal that was visible through his briefs. She pushed down his briefs and his erection sprung up, already half way erect. Throwing away this last piece of clothing, she was satisfied to have every bit of him bare to herself.

Looking directly into his eyes, she bent down to kiss his navel again. This time she felt his cock caressing her cleavage, amply provided by her scanty bra. His labored breathing assured her that Severus was enjoying this. Satisfied, she started trailing her kisses downwards, taking her own sweet time, rubbing his cock against her as she moved.

By the time, she reached to his magnificent cock, Severus had a tortured look in his eyes. She finally moved her mouth to the tip of his manhood and ran her tongue over the tip. Still looking into his eyes, she sucked his cock inside her mouth. His gaze turned heated before he closed his eyes in pleasure. Seeing the effect she was having on him, her own desire swelled.

Hermione sucked him deeper inside her mouth, down to the back of her throat and then all the way to the front. She was careful to wrap her lips around her teeth before clamping down on him; his breathing increased as a result and he started flexing himself inside her mouth. She continued her movements, and she felt his hand over her head, guiding her movements.

When she felt that he was close to his release, Severus stopped her and jerked her head away. She looked at him in confusion. Through clouded eyes, he managed to say, "I.. want.. you. Now."

A smile came to her lips, and Hermione wasted no time in positioning her legs around his hips, and finally sliding down on his entire hard length. His hands came to support her waist as she started moving, looking into his eyes that had never left hers. She had never been in this position with anyone else and _God, it was so satisfying!_

Hermione rotated her hips every time he was fully inside her, which only made her dizzier with pleasure. Severus gradually started to build the pace, helping her with each plunge. Her breasts were bouncing heavily, constrained inside her bra and her breathing quickened as she felt another orgasm build inside her. Her knees started to feel weak, and it was then that Severus took control. He clutched at her hips and guided her on wildly. To her relief, his movements were not calculated this time, but guided only by instincts. Hermione felt him stiffen suddenly and then two or three sharp plunges later, he finally came, crying out her name loudly, releasing himself inside her. That triggered her own orgasm, and she too slumped down, with his cock still inside her.

Coming down from her high, she moved to lie beside him, all sweaty and breathy. It was Severus who groaned at the loss, which made her smile again. They remained lying on the bed beside each other for a while, trying to get back their bearings.

"That felt.. I have no words!" Severus finally commented, still breathing hard.

"I think breathtaking should suffice." Hermione joked.

Severus chuckled and then turned to look at her. "You really are breathtaking, Hermione!"

Hermione narrowed her eyes dramatically, and replied playfully, "Flattery doesn't become you, Mr. Prince. If you want something from me, you're going to have to ask me."

"And you will give me anything that I ask of you, will you?" Severus inquired, inching closer to her.

 _Yes!_ "Well, that depends on what you want." Hermione answered aloud, turning onto her side to face him properly.

Severus looked into her eyes for a moment and then his gaze traveled downwards, stopping at her bra clad breasts.

"Pleasing as it is, your bra is blocking my view of your lovely breasts. I want you to remove them, please." He said, not taking his eyes off her chest.

In answer, Hermione turned away, turning her back to him. "You are welcome to do what you want, Mr. Prince."

She felt him moving closer to her back and soon felt his warm breath on her shoulder. His hands found the clasp of her bra instantly and he undid them without much ado. He traced the skin on her back with his fingers and as they traveled down her spine, Hermione felt a wave of pleasure pass through her.

Severus seemed to have noticed her shivers and soon his mouth was on her back. He started from her lower back and proceeded upwards, kissing her as he went. He kissed her shoulder blade, before finally turning her around. The bra was instantly off his way and thrown away before he came to lean on top of her totally bare form.

Hermione felt his gaze on her breasts and they swelled in response. _God, he hasn't even touched them yet!_

"Exquisite!" Severus finally whispered, before he reached out to feel them with his hands.

Hermoine felt her breasts harden further as he cupped them and started kneading them with great pleasure. She moved one hand through his hair and guided his mouth on to her nipple. Her back arched with pleasure when he sucked it inside his mouth, his warm tongue suckling it relentlessly. Her other hand clutched the sheets tightly as another wave of pleasure shot through her. He held her steady by placing one arm around her back, and continued to feast with his mouth on one breast, while grasping the other with his hand. He soon had her moaning and squirming in pleasure, with his torturous assault.

When Severus finally released them, her breasts were now pink and tingly. He was however, far from satisfied.

"I want to taste you, Hermione. All of you!" He said, his voice coarse with need.

"What are you waiting for then, Severus!" Hermione replied, breathlessly.

Nudging her legs apart, Severus positioned himself between them. He lifted one of her knees in his hand and started kissing the inside of her other thigh, slowly heading upwards. Hermione was clutching the sheets with both her hands to control herself from moving. Finally, she felt his warm breath first, there.

His hand went around her hip to keep her in place and then his tongue moved to her clit, eliciting another moan from her. He flicked his tongue over her clit repeatedly, before sucking it with his lips. Hermione's back arched again, and her hips convulsed slightly. This only made him increase his torture by grazing his teeth on her clit, before sucking it hard with his mouth. Her hand moved of its own accord, to fist into his hair while he continued to feast on her.

Without any warning, his tongue slipped inside her, making her gasp loudly and grip his hair more tightly. It wasn't long before she felt her walls tremble around his tongue which was driving in and out of her, despite her thrashing hips. This time, she came with a loud cry in her most explosive orgasms till date, completely losing senses of her surroundings.

The first thing she felt was Severus's tongue, still drinking in her juices like she had left him. He sensed her coming down from her high, and finally released her, coming to hover on top of her. It was then, that she realized that he was rock hard himself. Before she could think about anything else, his lips found hers again. The kiss grew deeper, both of their tongues trying to outsmart the other and proving equally competent just the same. Her hand went around to trail behind his back, as she deepened the kiss.

When they broke apart, Hermione could see the deep desire in his eyes quite clearly. She pulled him down on her, feeling his weight on top of her as she kissed him again, this time more aggressively. However, she felt Severus holding himself back.

"Let.. it.. go.. Sev.. erus!" Hermione told him between their kisses. She proceeded to spread her legs under him, pulling up her knees and pressing their naked bodies closer to each other.

Severus broke off the kiss and looked at her determined face, and she saw the glint of need return into his fathomless eyes. He adjusted himself on top of her, placing his elbows on her sides. With another searing kiss, he drove his hard cock inside her in a swift thrust. Hermione's gasp was caught inside his mouth and went unheard.

Shifting his weight on his elbows, he started to move inside her, his mouth still on hers. Soon, Hermione found herself grounding her hips in tandem with his deep plunges. They couldn't continue kissing anymore, both of them gasping in each other's mouths as their pace increased wildly. They seemed to have taken over by pure, unadulterated desire.

Severus shifted slightly sending a wave of pleasure through her and Hermione had another idea. She put one of her legs around his hip and which resulted in deepening his thrusts further inside her. Severus moved his head to her shoulder once again and she could feel his labored breaths on her skin. His elbows slackened and he pressed himself closer to her, his chest rubbing her breasts with their movements. Her nails dug into his back as she rotated her hips with their flow, she soon found another explosive orgasm building inside her. There was nothing separating them this moment, Hermione felt she was more intimate to Severus than ever, each bared and grating to their skin and still yearning to get closer to each other.

"Ooh.. Se.. ve.. rus!" Hermione cried out loudly as she came, a tear escaping her eyes and her body quivering with pleasure.

Severus meanwhile had clutched her slumped leg and with another few sharp thrusts, she felt him stiffen too, emptying himself inside her.

They were both still for a while, Severus still buried deep inside her, both gasping for air. To say that it was the best sex Hermione had ever had, would be an understatement. She hardly used to get off once in a night, that was of course, before tonight.

She moved her hand on Severus's head, now slouched over her shoulder and caressed him gently. He relished in her touch for a moment before moving his own arms around her, holding her possessively, and finally leaning over her to look down into her eyes.

For the long minute that he gazed steadily into her eyes, Hermione didn't understand what he wanted to find and then he leaned down to kiss away her runaway tear.

"You make me complete, Hermione!" He said, his deep voice full of emotion.

Hermione reciprocated his feeling wholeheartedly and was sure this had to be the best moment of her life, but words escaped her this time. She couldn't even voice a reply, and prayed that Severus got her answer in her eyes. Apparently, he liked what he found and he kissed her delicately. The kiss was of acceptance, of appreciation, and of gratitude. Breaking his kiss, he pulled out of her to lie on her side. However, he did not let go of their embrace.

Gratifyingly exhausted by then, Hermione marveled at how this night had progressed as she nestled into Severus's warm chest. Feeling secured by his arm around her, she soon drifted into an easy sleep.

* * *

 **Okay, so now that the chapter ends here, I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. I wouldn't be surprised if some of you had lost all hopes of ever getting an update! Thanks for sticking with me anyways! Also, I can't promise that I'll post regularly from now on but I'll still try my best. The ideas are all inside my head, its just writing it down that I'm lousy at! I guess, some of you could relate to that.**

 **On another note, I've changed the title of the story so just don't be surprised when you find this under the new title, 'A Contract With Love'. Will eagerly wait for your reviews as always, and all of your suggestions are most welcome.**

 **So please, please review. (Your words are the only thing that makes me want to write further!)**

 **Have a great day!**


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